


Occurus Superbia

by I_dream_of_dragons



Category: Marvel Avengers Movies Universe, The Avengers (2012), The Avengers - All Fandoms
Genre: Bob is the most awesome Hobo ever, Feels, FrostIron - Freeform, I will use cliffhangers to mess with your emotions, Loki is tony's personal assitant, M/M, loki turned human
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-08-20
Updated: 2015-07-25
Packaged: 2017-11-12 13:29:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 39
Words: 130,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/491570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_dream_of_dragons/pseuds/I_dream_of_dragons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loki sits in Asgardian jail, awaiting his trial. But when judgement is finally cast upon him, his "Father" strips him of his power and he is cast out to Midgard. The once prideful and arrogant Loki now has to learn to deal with his own humanity. Eventual FrostIron. rated m for future chapters and Tony swears</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for taking the time to read, feel free to leave a review.
> 
> also i do not own the avengers or anything marvel related ( except a few comics)

**Chapter One**

It had been seventeen days since Thor – his so-called "brother" – brought him back to Asgard. His arrival was silent. Nobody waited for them. There were no bystanders and no Odin All-Father looking down upon him. He'd expected more of a crowd to come and see the kind of monster he'd turned into during such a short period of time.

Instead, there were no sneers and no people to look disgusted at him for what he had done. Only the ever-vigilant Heimdall stood nearby, guarding the end of the bridge. The man did not even glance in his direction.

He was transported quickly to the jails, placed in the underbelly of his former home. And that is where he was now, still awaiting his trial, or rather, his death sentence. Under normal circumstances, Odin swiftly judged those of his people who had committed a crime. But then again, he really was not one of Odin's "people." The All-Father had lied all these centuries to his beloved citizens; he had lied, and they all believed him.

He had believed him.

But not anymore.

He'd spent all this time being called the younger brother, all this time being second and not being good enough to be deemed a "true warrior." Throughout it all, he had just been looked down upon by Odin, for being the kind of monster parents tell their children about before going to bed.

Anger flared up in his mind by these thoughts and he willed his body to change. He had had this experience before and the shackles with which he was bound shielded his most powerful magic. He could still change his form into that of a frost giant, even restrained as he was, yet he could not bear this sickening blue skin. To know this is what he always had been - a vile frost giant like his real father, Laufey - he laughed thinking about it. Laufey had forsaken him as a baby and Laufey and his kind deserved to die just like Odin and Thor deserved to die now. He closed his eyes, not wanting to see that ugly wretched shade of blue on his skin. After a while, his skin changed back to the colour of normal flesh, the deep dark blue lines that traced his body fading. His heart rate sped up for a moment, his brows frowning from the concentration it took him to change. A drained feeling soon followed and he felt himself slip away into unconsciousness.

He opened his eyes and groaned at a feeling like his head was being split in two. He looked around and saw soft rays of light coming from the barred windows and leaving a striped shadow on the ground. Sluggishly, he lifted himself from the floor and stood up, leaning against the wall. "Another day in boredom," he sighed, wondering if they were just going to leave him there to slowly waste away.

The cell itself was square and beige, one of the most uninteresting colours on the spectrum, if you could even call it a colour. There were no comforts, only a tiny window and the floor to function as a bed. So far, he'd been brought water and gruel every couple of days. His only comfort was that they'd left him in his normal attire instead of forcing him to change into prison garb. Perhaps it was a benefit of once being royalty.

How utterly humiliating to be left here when he was a god! To be left in this solemn place to rot!

He gritted his teeth. He would find a way out of here, no matter how long it took to escape this "shit hole," as the ants tended to call these places. Perhaps he could play a sympathy card on one of the guards or on Thor, if his "brother" ever came to check on him. Thor always did have a weak spot for him that could be exploited, but no, Loki would refuse that, asking him even if it all was just a lie, a pretend game to escape this place. His pride would not be lowered to that level. If he ever was to face Thor and Odin, he would lift his head and look them in the eyes directly; he would make sure to not face away. Instead, he would stare with intense burning hatred.

His green eyes shimmered at the thought. Oh, how they would be repulsed by it! Those Asgardians would hate him even more when he showed them no regret for his actions.

In the distance, he heard footsteps. There were at least three people walking down the stairs and into the main corridor of the prison. He heard them mumble his name, followed by the sound of a key turning in the rusty slot. Moments later, two figures entered his cell. The third guard closed the door behind them and locked it, barring him again from freedom. He smiled devilishly at the men.

"So the All-Father has granted me an audience? How kind of him," he spit the words out venomously. The guard with bulky shoulders grabbed the back of his neck and forced his head backwards. The other guard put a metal gag on his face and fastened it at the back.

He hated not being able to speak. He wanted to be ruthlessly defiant. He wanted all of Asgard to know that they had always been fed lies. Breaking the trust people had in the All-Father would give him a wonderful feeling of accomplishment. Now that objective had been taken away, but they would not take away his dignity or pride.

The third guard opened the door again and he was shoved towards the exit. A long chain was clipped onto his shackles and they started dragging, pushing, and pulling him. Or, at least, that's what he figured they'd wanted. Instead, he raised his gagged head and pulled the chains straight, causing the guard in front of him to stumble. As he made himself stand straight and tall, he snorted derisively at the guards. Strength and bulking muscles were something he might not have, but he was tall, taller than most Asgardians.

" _Small, weak, and puny for a frost giant_ ," he heard a whispering voice say in his head.

He shook off the awful feeling it gave him as he walked up the stairs. Light illuminated the large doorway to the castle's entrance.

He stood before the grand door, the door to the throne room. Already he could hear faint whispering behind it and the rustling of clothes and armour. It seemed like the All-Father had gone all out for his trial. After all, it was his fate that was to be decided. He was not beloved nor would anyone grieve over him, but curious everyone must be for the outcome of his trial.

One of the guards gave a nod and the doors to the throne room opened. The light coming from the room glittered gold and made him blink. As they adjusted, he could see the inside of the room filled with people he'd known or seen around before – warriors, both male and female, clad in their best armour, and some others important enough to be here. At the end of the room sat the All-Father on his throne. His wife and Thor stood by his side.

"Come forward, Loki Odinson!" bellowed the loud voice of Odin. Loki glared at the All-Father. The impudence that Odin must have to dare name him son! ODINSON! He hissed in anger at Odin and Thor. He would show them THEIR Odinson. Smirking evilly, he concentrated and willed his form to change.

Walking forward, he felt his body change. His eye colour turned from its usual brilliant deep emerald into a dark bloody red. He felt deep blue lines shape and form on his face before moving downward over his entire body. No matter how disgusted he was by this loathsome form, he felt compelled to finally show everyone the truth. Swallowing the upcoming bile, he continued to break the All-Father's lie.

His skin was a deep blue colour now and he heard gasps of shock from the crowd. The guard in front of him turned around to see what was happening. He felt the chains slip out of the guard's hands but he kept walking forward, dragging the loosened chains behind him. Thor looked away. His must have broken his "brother's" thoughts about his redemption and the two reuniting to live happily-ever-after in Asgard.

It felt like the air around him grew colder and more menacing. He liked menacing. He arrived at the throne and stood on the first step, refusing to kneel before the All-Father. He threw Odin a look which clearly said, "I am not YOUR son."

"I see that you are not willing to mend your wrongdoings." Odin let out a deep sigh and looked at him with pity. Loki wasn't prepared for that. He could deal with the whispering behind his back and the looks of utter disgust, but pity was something different, something he did not want to be given.

Loki's glare faltered as Odin rose from his throne and walked toward him. Odin began stripping him of his armour. "I still regard you as my son, therefore, you will not be executed on this day. Instead, you will be stripped of your magic and immortality. From this day on, you will be banished from Asgard to live and die on Midgard."

Loki stood there, powerless. He had prepared for punishment, for execution, or even being locked away for eternity, but not this, not being ridiculed and made into one of the lowly ants that could easily be crushed by the heel of a boot! To live and die like one of them! How humiliating.

He felt his body slip from reality. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he felt himself being pushed away.

With a loud smack he fell to the ground. It was dark and grey outside in the city illuminated by artificial lights. He managed to sit up against a wall, holding his right shoulder where he'd landed on it. He felt a throbbing pain before his surroundings turned black and he fainted.


	2. chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

The sky was a pale shade of grey; no sun broke through the clouds to shine its warm rays of light on the city. It was early in the morning, that time of day that people complain about when accidently woken from a peaceful slumber. But the city never slept and there were people on the move at all hours - cars, cabs, and the noises of public transportation could always be heard. Office lights shone in several of the glass and metal towers clustered in the city centre. No doubt people were working overtime, trying their hardest to fulfil their boss' desires. The subway followed its laid out path, screeching whenever it turned. Bridges rumbled underneath the weight of a freight train.

This was ultimately the sound that woke Loki from his pain-induced sleep.

He could still feel a warm, dull pain seeping from his left shoulder. His head throbbed in sync with the rhythm of a passing train. As it carried on its route, the pain subsided, leaving a heavy feeling as he slowly rubbed his temples. He felt dizzy and his vision blurred, unsure if the pains and sounds were real or just part of a vivid imagination. His clothing felt damp and clung to his body. Water had soaked his boots, leaving his feet wet and cold. His long leather coat was slightly torn from his ignoble landing and he could feel droplets of water falling from his hair and onto his back, leaving a wet trail down a relatively dry shirt.

Slowly, he opened his tired, heavy, and dark-rimmed eyes. The events of the previous day came back and the realisation suddenly hit that he was no longer in his dull-coloured cell. No, he was in a much worse place, a place filled with lowly vermin crawling on its surface. Vermin that were always breeding and expanding, believing themselves to be worth more than the insects they truly are. To be as low as them – a powerless, weak creature – it sent chilling shivers down his spine. To be nothing more than a dead shell walking in a noisy, rancid city, where the only reason for existence was to die and become food for the worms.

Loki took in his surroundings. Somehow, he'd managed to drag himself to an area that was sheltered from the weather of the night. His feet were still lying in a puddle of dirty water, which explained his now wet and dirt-encrusted boots. A foul odour seemed to be spreading from a few nearby containers.

"What a filthy place in which I find myself," he mumbled to himself. Nobody was around to hear his thoughts.

He pulled his feet out of the shallow mud pool and used his good arm as support so he could stand up. His muscles ached from the strain he put on them. Loki had slept against a low concrete wall. A mark in bright full orange saying "B.t. wolfs" covered other faded-out signs. It was a form of human art he in which he could find no merit. The area shook as a loud rumble was heard, signalling another passing train which shook the foundations. His head throbbed once more. The train seemed bent on depriving his brain from function.

Deciding it was time to take a look at his more discomforting injury, he removed his coat and tossed it uncaringly on the wall. Loki moved his arm, biting back a hiss at the uncomfortable feeling stinging his shoulder. Luckily, his arm did not seem broken or even dislocated from impact, but it did feel badly bruised. The fibres of his shirt clung crusted to dried blood.

Gently, he started removing the fabric, ripping open the seam under his arm. He pulled the sleeve from his arm and tore it for further use as a bandage. As he tore the fabric, his wound re-opened, showing an angry red colour as blood slowly flowed out in small streams. The skin around it was a deep purple colour with smaller red specks, indicating some slight damage to the blood vessels. After binding the wound, he grabbed his coat from where it hung haphazardly over the wall and redressed himself.

He ran his hands through his hair and sighed deeply. The license plate of a nearby parked car gave him his only knowledge of his current whereabouts - he was somewhere in the United States.

"Time to find out where I am on this wretched planet."

The small stones and rocks on the dirty ground rolled and crackled beneath his feet. He moved to the edge of his cement and steel shelter. A car passed by on a one-way street, its driver giving him a fast glance before going back to the road ahead.

Further up the street, there was a large intersection where the one-way street hit a larger four-row street. He could see the light turn red as the car that had just passed him slowed down. Across the street stood a cluster of apartment buildings, big square blocks of red brick and windows. The narrow one-way street had stairways running along the side to provide a fast escape for the street's inhabitants should an emergency arise.

The lights finally turned green and the car sped up as it went around the corner. Loki checked the street and no cars seemed to be speeding his way, so he crossed the roadway. Dimmed lights could be seen in one of the apartments and soft giggles and laughter could be heard from within. Its inhabitants were no doubt frolicking around in the early hours.

At the stairs, he could see cigarette buds in the corner as he passed. Currently, there did not seem to be a soul around and the door of the apartment building creaked as it opened and he entered the main hall. The right side was covered with letterboxes, numbers, and names on the corresponding doorbells. Most of the mailboxes were empty, but letters hung out of a few of them. Their owners were probably too lazy to care for correspondence, resulting in an overstuffed mailbox. He grabbed a stack and shuffled through it. It consisted mostly of pamphlets and commercials for nearby stores. He pulled out a pristine white envelope and looked at the address.

"New York." Of all the places he could be dumped, Odin decided to drop him here? The place where he was once so close to victory yet so far from realising his downfall?

S.H.I.E.L.D. was probably still in close proximity, vigilant as ever and keeping a keen eye on any strange phenomenon happening, like the fluctuation that was made when he fell. He'd landed in the hornet's nest and could practically feel them breathing down his neck. He had to get away from this area before he was seen or recognised. There was a good chance that Fury and the Avengers would deem Odin's punishment too light, and he had no desire to be locked away in Fury's air fortress. Unlike before, his human form would give him no option for escape.

He walked out of the apartment block with haste and didn't even notice he was still holding the letter clenched in his white knuckles. The streets seemed busier than before and filled with the noises of cars and people. As morning came for those who worked, people woke up at an almost alarming pace.

He turned right and walked quickly down the street, heading for the intersection. He saw the lights turn from green to yellow and heard a vehicle coming up from behind him at a slow speed. Loki glanced over his shoulder to see a small red car, nothing special. The driver was an elderly woman with thick glasses that hid her eyes, but he was sure she was watching him.

She sped up and the window of the passenger's seat went down. Now that she was stopped at the red light, she looked back at him and asked, "Are you all right?"

He stopped dead in his tracks and stared at her.  _That stupid cow...do I look all right? Of course not! I'm a powerless god on the run!_  He felt annoyed by the question since he was obviously very much not all right, yet somehow he managed to put a friendly smile on his face.

"I've had a rough night and, to be honest, I'm late for work."

She looked at him and nodded understandingly. "It's a bad neighbourhood here and has gotten worse as of late. Where are you headed?"

He thought about it for a second, but the answer was simple and obvious.

"Downtown."

"Well hop in then. I can't take you to the city centre, but I'll drop you off at the next subway station."

Loki got in the car before the light hit green. He glanced into the rear view mirror, not even noticing his own face, because what grabbed his attention was the image of a black car parked under the bridge he had just vacated. The car was clean and clearly of a higher cost than most people living in the neighbourhood could afford. He felt a pang of panic that faded into relief as the woman started driving, disappearing into the steady flow of traffic.

Her car smelt oddly of chemicals, which disturbed his sense of smell and made his nose sting. Too much perfume masked the woman's normal scent and a quick look around the car revealed its source. Two different air fresheners hung on her mirror, one pinewood and the other lavender. Both smelled horrendously chemical. He guessed the woman was around age sixty since wrinkles covered both her hands and face. She used too much make-up in an attempt to look younger. Instead she got the opposite effect, her light foundation making her wrinkles cast deeper shadows on her face.

This was his fate now. He would grow old in just a few short breaths. That is, if he did not die sooner. He never understood how humans could get joy out of such a short life and living without meaning or purpose. They were like cattle, mindlessly wandering in ignorant bliss of their end being only a footstep away.

"Care to tell me what happened? You look awfully roughed up. Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" She was chatty and had an annoyingly high-pitched voice. And she was nosy. He hated nosy people.

"No."

"Are you sure? I know you said you want to go to work, but it's ridiculous looking the way you do."

"I said NO!" He did not bother appearing friendly anymore. He felt much too uncomfortable for that. God, her voice sounded like the cackling of a chicken. "You should refrain from asking questions for the remaining time," Loki said with a stern voice, glaring at the now clearly frightened women. She flinched away from him and turned her head, her body language more demure now.  _God, women are chatty blabbermouths anywhere_. He could not take this humiliation anymore based on his interactions with this human.

The apartments grew higher and office buildings came into sight. People carrying suitcases and briefcases walked in haste. The woman stopped the car near a bus stop and pointed toward it. "There's a station just behind it, sir."

Sir? Glad to know he still had some form of authority, even if it was just from a spooked human. He should be spoken to with respect, even if it was out of fear. No, especially if the voice held fear. This only added power to his statement that humans were meant to be ruled. Perhaps he could make do on this planet. There was some fraction of people who had power. He could find one and use that person to his own advantage. There should be ways of gaining more knowledge and power in this world. There could even be ways to regain portions of his strength.

Loki opened the car door and turned around to face the woman. His coat billowed up at the movement. "Know that it was an honour for you to drive one such as me." He grinned at the lady. He might have lost his powers but that did not mean he couldn't hold a certain degree of authority over others. He slammed the door and made his way to the subway station, disappearing between the humans moving about the entrance.

He followed the stream of people descending the stairs that led underneath New York City. The flow of people suddenly stopped and he felt jammed within the narrow confines of the tunnel. A person shoved him in the ribs, which caused a sting of pain to ripple throughout his body. He wanted to lash out, but as he turned around, he saw several men and a woman at the ticket gates looking with purpose into the crowd and searching the faces of those wanting to board the subway. Every now and then, they checked a person's papers to keep up the pretence of having a normal search. There was no way of escaping the stream of people he was stuck in now. Turning back would be noticed and he felt no joy in knowing there would be other guards upstairs as well.

There did seem to be one defect in their checkpoint, the far left side where people still walked freely past the ticket booth. He made his way there, letting long tendrils of black hair fall over his face, looking down at the ground and trying to not be noticed.

He passed the ticket booth.

 _Too easy_  crossed his mind before a hand was pressed to his chest restricting his advance.

"Your identification, please." The black suited man looked at him intently and withdrew his hand from Loki's chest.

"I left it at home," Loki let out a sigh. "Look, I am certain you can see I had a rather difficult night, but I need to get to work. I no longer have my identification." His tethered up coat and bruised arm would only make his lie more believable.

The man seemed to ponder a moment, his eyes holding the tension of thinking. "What is your name, sir?"

Loki smiled his fake alluring smile. "Locke Ladislav. Look I really need to—"

He was cut off by the man making a sympathetic waving gesture with his hand. "Be off and get to work. And make sure that you have your identification next time, Locke."

Loki felt relieved and walked down the escalator to the subway. One was just arriving. People stood behind the line, waiting like this was an everyday normality. Could humans really be deceived so easily? It didn't matter now. He was safe. He entered the transport vehicle, the doors closing behind him with a swish. Before the subway started driving, he looked in horror at his reflection in the glass door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *o.o*
> 
> Thank you guys for reading!!
> 
> And of course a big thank you for sinister banana and sword misstress for beta reading.


	3. chapter 3

 

**Chapter 3**

Loki stood there, staring at his reflection as the subway took off and began making its way to the next station. His hand clutched the metal bars of the car's railing to keep himself calm and steady. If he had the strength, he would have broken the metal poles or screamed out his anger, loud and high enough to break all glass in the vicinity. But being human made him unable to do so, much to his current discontent.

Odin had taken much more from him than he'd originally thought. Certainly more than just his magic.

" _My face_."

He stared back at a face that was not his own. What a cruel twist of fate, another punishment to be endured. His once pure and emerald orbs were now replaced by stormy blue ones that had grey specks at the edges. Those eyes stared back at him, wide open in disbelief and horror.

And his  _hair_.

"Oh, by the NINE!" What he'd thought was black when a lock had hung in front of his face was actually dirty blond and covered with dark mud, making parts of it cling together. He still had his own strong, prominent nose, but his jaw line was now softened and less pointed. Much to his dismay, he also showed signs of a growing beard.

Slowly, he brought his hand up, hoping that it would be some sort of distorted image or perhaps a stranger standing behind him. He traced the outline of his ear with his index finger before softly cupping his cheek. Unfortunately, this was not a twisted illusion. His cheeks felt fuller. He rubbed his jaw, feeling the small stubs of hair prickling the palm of his hand.

The All-Father was a cruel man indeed. As a human man, he looked more Aesir than he ever had before.

As a human man, he looked more like the other members of his "family."

He looked to his reflection again and saw despair in his eyes. It reminded him of the look Thor had given him before letting himself slip at the Bifrost. He could practically hear the sound of Thor screaming as his  _brother_  fell to the stars. Loki's new appearance had to be Odin's doing, a more personal touch for a score the All-Father wanted settled, a constant reminder of his failure to be accepted as a rightful ruler.

In his anger, Loki clenched his fist and punched the window. The glass didn't shatter and his reflection did not vanish in a thousand shards of still unbroken glass, though the pain in his hand was obvious. His heart raced in his ribcage like a panicking animal. He wanted to lash out at the nearest thing, but his sense of self gave him some control. "By the Nine, how can you people live like this?"

Were human feelings always like this? It would surely explain their appetite for self-destruction. People stared at him, though a handful didn't even bother to bat an eyelash at his sudden outburst. To them, he must have seemed like a drunken fool, a man not even worthy enough to be noticed. As the subway made its first stop, people streamed out and in. A woman passing by gave him a haughty look before stepping off with an arrogant elegance. He knew from that look that she felt herself to be above him.

It was cruel how some things never changed.

Loki made his way to an empty seat and sat down to rest his weary limbs. He took his injured hand in his other and began rubbing it while shooting a sinister glare at the bulky man who wanted to take the seat next to him. Volstagg would've looked like a light-limbed dancer compared to this example of humanity and to make it worse, he smelled like a mixture of grease and old sweat. After receiving Loki's withering glare, the man did not dare to take the seat beside him and instead moved along to the back of the car. Loki tried to smooth out his hair with his hands, but the unruly muddy lock was intent on defying him and continued hanging in front of his face, brushing his cheek and taunting him with that dirty-blonde colour.

He tried to put his priorities in order, but found that he was having a hard time concentrating. He would need suitable garments, that was certain. His current broken gear would not suit him in Midgard. Preferably, he could get something dark and with a clean cut to it. He was rather fond of the suit he'd worn before when last on this planet. The scarf he'd conjured then had also gone extremely well with it. Perhaps some humans with enough skill might be able to fabricate something similar to it, not that it could ever be considered the same quality. As to other matters, these people were foolish and could probably be easily persuaded to give him lodging too. With those two essentials, he could perhaps make his short stay here endurable. He  _would_  get back to Asgard. The humans had a saying about that, did they not?  _Where there's a will, there's a way._

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice the time slowly passing by. The people boarding the subway changed. Now it consisted mostly of students skipping school, casual shoppers, and people with too much free time on their hands. The subway came out of a tunnel and slowed down, coming to stop at a grey-tiled platform. Loki made his way out and looked for the exit. There was an escalator—a typical human invention, lazy and unpractical in his opinion. He might not have the muscled physique of others on Asgard, but he had lean sleek muscles with almost perfect reflexes. Midgardians, with their lazy attitude towards their health, could never match up to him. No wonder they were so soft and weak, they would find excuses to avoid anything physical. He took the stairs. Having a human body did not mean he had to act like them.

Once outside, he could see a city fully awakened. Traffic seemed to be jammed and an angry passenger in a cab got out while gesturing violently at the driver. Stores were open and people walked around carrying bags and purchases. The traffic lights hit green again and a stream of cars, cabs, and a truck that left behind a dirty puff of smoke drove by.

Loki had trouble orientating himself and looked around for a familiar point. The tall metal and glass buildings still held damage from his last visit to Midgard. Everywhere people were working on repairs. Men valiantly replaced windows at dizzying heights and work was being done to some of the base structures. All the rubble in the streets was cleared and, to make it worse, he saw people smiling and laughing.

It was like he had never been there laying waste to the city. How could the Midgardians have adjusted and adapted so quickly? He missed the looks of fear they'd given him before. Their now friendly smiles held no merit for Loki. Like ants, they worked hard and fast to return their home to its original state. Only one building stood out as not having any damage. The sun hit its glass windows, making it shimmer like a beacon of hope.

_Stark Tower._

Loki turned around and walked in the opposite direction with the fast pace of a man severely pissed off.

The streets became calmer as he walked and Loki considered changing his priorities after his stomach made an embarrassingly loud growl. Gods could go without food for a certain length of time, but this human body demanded sustenance in a most annoying way. A little further down the street, he located a store selling sweet snacks and drinks to humans. The sign of the store read ' _Dirk's Doughnut_ s.' Although these things would not have the essential nutrients he would've liked, going without anything would only lead his body to making more of those awful sounds. As he came closer, he saw a beggar sitting just outside the store, a passing woman ignoring his plea for a dollar. He ignored the beggar and stepped inside with an air of certainty surrounding him.

Loki made his way to the counter. The young woman working behind it had a name tag which read ' _Vicky_.' She was filling pink boxes trimmed with gold and putting doughnuts and other sweets inside them. She gave him a bored look and said in polite but monotone way, "Can I help you, sir?"

He gave her a charming smile. "I believe you can, Miss. As you see, I am in a rather dishevelled state." He let out a sigh and looked deep into her eyes, running a hand through his hair. "It would greatly be appreciated if you could offer me some food." She seemed to melt under his gaze as he said the magic words, "Please, Vicky."

Vicky blushed like a young school girl. Apparently, he seemed to be the only one here who didn't like his face. Women still reacted the same way. She took a small package from the display at the counter and was about to give it to him, but then all hell broke loose from the back of the store.

A tall man came out from the back wearing an overused apron. This man was likely Dirk, the store's owner. He walked in Loki's direction, angrily raising his fist and shaking it in front of Loki's face, signalling he meant to do harm. "VICKY, you stupid twat! Stop feeding the beggars! How many times do I need to tell you? And you get out now, you piece of trash."

Did this man just call him  _trash_? How dare he! Loki's endearing smiled faded. "How dare you call me filth, you measly little worm! I should crush you like you deserve. I have only asked for an offering of food."

Dirk did not listen. His face just reddened like a tomato ready to burst. He came out from behind the counter, carrying a dough roller.

Loki ran through his options. He could try and talk his way out, but no doubt this caveman wouldn't listen to his words. He could try to fend the man off, but Loki himself was still wounded. As a last option, he could make himself scarce and run off, but by the Nine, he was pissed!

Dirk made the decision for him when the dough roller was thrown at his head. Loki ducked and narrowly avoided being hit in the face. Dirk was already a step ahead and shoved his injured shoulder. Loki hissed at the pain. The man must have noticed his injury and taken advantage of it. Loki stumbled backwards toward the open door. There was no avoiding what came next. His body was too tired, weak, and hungry to react. Loki was literally kicked out of the store and the door slammed shut right behind him. He clutched his shoulder and felt the wet stickiness of blood. The wound had re-opened.

Slowly, he tried to get up and felt an unexpected hand. "Dirk's a total ass and he had no right to be this mad at you. But he is tense when it comes to his daughter. Or people like us."

The beggar he saw before helped him up. "If you're really that hungry, I can take you to a place nearby where you can get some food. Can't do nothing about your wounds though." The beggar spat on the ground. "You can rest there for a while until you can get your ass to a hospital."

The man saw in Loki what Loki saw in the beggar, a helpless individual. He nodded to the man and answered with a raspy voice. "I accept your offer."

"Alright, let's get on the road. You can call me Bob, by the way, your Highness." Bob supported him while they walked. Loki felt no need to question the reason why he was called 'Highness.' He felt like he was barely able to think straight. Although he did his best to concentrate, he could not pay attention to his environment. After a while they stopped and he noticed a small fire. Three more men were standing around it, sharing something from a cup.

"Guys, we have a newcomer. Your Highness, I'd like to introduce you to Mike, Samuel, and Jack Daniels. Guys, this is 'Your Highness.' He acts like a prince and he tried to defy Dirk. So now we'll give him a bowl of soup." The man called Mike nodded, grabbed a brown mug, and poured in some soup, or at least something that looked like it. Loki took it and before he knew it, his mug was empty.

Bob pointed to a large cardboard box in the distance. "That one's mine, but there is another one just behind it. Used to be Tyson's, but he left. You can rest there for now. Just don't die tonight, okay? I'd hate to explain a corpse to the cops."

Loki dragged his body to said box. It was large enough to curl up inside and a few pieces of paper provided slight comfort against the cold ground. He felt the heavy, draining feeling of sleep come over him and his head hurt again. He had been cast out and stripped of his magic by Odin. His face had been taken away and what had been left behind only a constant and painful reminder of his old life.

The last thing to go was his dignity.

He was a monster, a weakling, and now the lowest kind of human.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank everyone who is following my work 
> 
> Big hugs for all people that left a review. You guys all make my day^^
> 
> And last but not least a big applause for my patient beta readers Sinister Banana and swordmisstress
> 
>  
> 
> Default summary: I do not own anything marvel related.
> 
> But I did buy another comic book :p


	4. chapter 4

 

**Chapter Four**

Loki's sleep was a deep one, caused by the pure exhaustion of his body and the emotional strain of the day. His body shivered and he shook during a dreamless slumber. A small layer of cardboard was the only thing separating him from the soft earth beneath him. Darkness fell outside and the midnight hour passed without him even being aware of it. Other drifters that resided in the area went to their respective "homes"—shacks made from leftover cardboard, plastic, and sometimes plywood, constructions held by rope or the sheer willpower of their owners. The lucky ones had a tent or a sleeping bag, but most made due with whatever they could find. This world is a cruel one for those that have nothing left.

The night was dry and the dark sky was clear of clouds. It would have been a beautiful vision, filled with a bright glowing moon to illuminate the sky, had the city lights not blinded people from its natural radiance. City dwellers rarely had the occasions or pleasure of seeing such rare sights.

The beggar called Bob was still awake the early morning hours. He was a short and stout man. Age and experience took the hairs from his head, but he still had a thick, black moustache growing under his round nose. He was one of the eldest drifters that stayed in this area.

Once he had a family. A home to go back to with eagerly awaiting loved ones. A fireplace to warm his hands during the winter and a large green garden filled with neighbours during the summer. Kids from the neighbourhood played on swings with his son, happy and smiling. Bob used to be content. He was a blissfully happy man, but terribly naïve.

His wife, a woman named Lauren, was his high school sweetheart. They married early during college. After that, Bob got a decent paying job, slowly working his way up the company ladder. Eventually he became assistant manager and bought a good home for his family. When Lauren told him she was pregnant, he was ecstatic. A young boy was born with fair hair and soft, light eyes. Blinded by his love, Bob never saw what everyone else had over these years - the boy did not look like him at all.

Fate stabbed him in the back with a bunch of rusty old knives, the kind that psychotic killers use in horror films. The company went bankrupt, followed by a foreclosure on his home. His wife divorced him and she and his son went to live with the birth father. Betrayal was a frightful thing, but nothing could stop him from seeing the young boy. That is, until Lauren got a restraining order. Finally, the last thing he could cling on—his fatherly love for a young boy named Steven—was lost. Feelings of shame and regret ate at his core. Angry at the world, he shouted drunken obscenities for days.

He recognised some of those feeling in the foreign man he'd met earlier today. A man seemingly consumed with confusion and madness. He had seen him act like a perfect, smiling gentleman, one that would turn grown women into fawning teenagers. Yet an arrogant air surrounded the man and he acted like a spoiled child when something did not go his way. So he'd given the nameless man a nickname. They all had one down here.  _Your Highness._

Too bad for his Highness, the owner of the doughnut shop was an overprotective and greedy father that both hated men that went after his daughter and bums, beggars, and people otherwise down on their luck, what Dirk he frequently called scum of the earth. Bob hoped that with some food in his Highness' stomach and a decent night's rest, the man would recover from the previous day. His injuries seemed superficial, but Bob had learned over the years that some things are much deeper than the eye can see.

Loki twisted in his sleep, unaware that outside a person worried for him. Sweat rolled down his cheek and he sank into a fever-induced dream, a nightmare. One of the many benefits of being a god was an incredibly fast healing time. Humans, on the other hand, were slow to heal, and Loki was about to find this out the hard way. When he woke, his head felt like Mjolnir had been banging on it the entire night. Heat radiated from the skin surrounding his shoulder wound. On top of everything, he was sleeping in a box!

He knew that a person gave him some sort of sustenance the other day, but he could not recall any events after that. Perhaps it was wise to pay this person a visit. Loki seemed to require further "sustenance" for his body. He recalled the man's name—"Bob." It sounded like a name humans would give a pet, but Loki could use a worthy servant.

Gods, crawling out of a box was humiliating! Loki stood up, still trying to have some air of dignity. He made a poor attempt to get the dirt out his hair. "Where is the one called Bob?"

A short man looked his way. The man's face was dominated by a big, black moustache and a bright smile. "Glad to see you're awake, Your Highness. How's your head?"

Loki realised that lying would do him no good since he didn't have the slightest clue as to how humans cured minor wounds and illnesses. "It feels like a battle axe cleaved my skull in two."

Bob let out a loud laugh at this and a man he did not notice earlier was also grinning widely. "Oh well, you're awake and that's what counts. It would've been a bigger problem if ya stayed asleep." He motioned to the unknown man beside him. "Your Highness, this man here is Hank Thompson, but we all call him Jack Daniels for obvious reasons."

Jack Daniels made a salute while holding up a bottle with warm, yellow-looking fluid inside. The man took a large sip and—"BUUUURP! Yeah, pleased to meet you, Highness. I'd spare you a sip but this small thing here has to last the whole day." Loki could smell the reek of the man's alcohol-stained clothes from afar.

"Ah boy, don't mind good old Jack here." He sipped his drink again. "This is me drowning my sadness with something I love. And that's all there is to it." How pathetic. Be it Asgard or Midgard, alcohol always flowed freely for those with no self-control. Loki remembered the many feasts held in the royal palace and how everyone partook generously of the drink. He never held any joy for such things or the actions that resulted because of it.

The warm rays of the sun hit his body and he became aware of sweat trailing down his back. The clothing he wore felt dirty and wet. A growing need to change into something clean arose. "I am in urgent need of a bath and change. Tell me where such things can be acquired." Bob glanced at Jack Daniels with surprised look his face, then they both started snickering, which quickly turned into loud laughter.

Loki narrowed his eyes. "How dare you laugh at my need!"

Bob wiped away a tear as he moved to pat Loki's good shoulder. Loki reacted quickly and took a step backward, avoiding the touch. "Oh, Your Highness. We are all in need of a bath and some clean clothes. We would also prefer to have jobs and housing." Jack Daniels looked down sadly at his empty bottle as Bob spoke. "But I fear the only things we have are a few run-down shacks and boxes to call home. Sure, a few of us got jobs after the rampage in the city. They needed cleaners and builders, but most of us are too far gone to be accepted back into society."

Loki saw the man look at his wound.

"I fear we can't help you with your headache. How's the arm, lad?"

Loki could not decipher the man's goal. He had nothing to give, so Bob could not obtain anything from him. Neither did these people have anything to provide except for a box and some soup. The bright sunlight shone in Loki's eyes and he felt dizzy. His head thumped loudly to the beat of his own heart. If the humans here could not help him then he had to keep moving. These people were the lowest, and he was certain he could do better.

"All I require is some food. After that I will find m—" The thumping feeling in his head increased. He blinked rapidly in the heavy sunlight. He felt hot, tired, and thirsty as hell. A faint feeling crept over him and he wobbled unsteadily on his feet. Suddenly, Loki sank to the ground and ended up on his knees. "Apparently, I'm not as well as I thought."

Loki saw panic spread across their faces, but it was not caused by fear of him. It was fear for him.

"Don't overwork yourself, sonny. Jack, go get a wet towel and see if someone has a spare shirt." Bob gave Loki a metal cup filled with cold water. Loki drank it quickly and more greedily than he'd ever want to admit.

Once emptied, all Loki could say was, "More, now…" He breathed heavily. Perhaps some kindness would be in order. "If you would, please?" A refilled cup was given to him.

"Don't fret, Your Highness. Water is on the house." The reference was not understood, but Loki figured he would not waste his breath asking. Mortals and most of their quotes were lost on him.

For a brief moment he was so caught up in his thoughts that he did not notice Bob's hand until it was too late. The beggar laid a hand on his forehead and in that instant, Loki snapped. "Do not dare touch me, you insect!" Loki slapped the hand away and tried getting up, but it was no use. Bob held him in place.

"Stop moving, Your Highness. You are burning up with fever. Say Jack, are you done yet?"

It dawned on him these humans were actually trying to help him. He was too weak to fight them or refuse the help. All he could do was sit there and take what they had to give, whether it was unwanted or not. Jack Daniels came back carrying a piece of cloth and a dark blue shirt with a grey logo printed on the back.

"I'm here, Bob. I hear ya. Took me awhile to convince Mike to let go of one of his shirts."

"Ok, sonny. You'll have to get rid of those dirty things. Seems like your wound has gotten infected. It needs to be cleansed and you need a clean shirt."

Hesitantly, Loki removed his leather coat. These men were not healers, but he knew he needed something clean. The words Bob spoke rang true in his head. His wound needed more attention than it was currently being given. After removing the coat, he could see that the purple bruising had spread. The edges of the wound were an angry red and the dry crust had opened in several places. The air felt cool against the heat of his wound. He undid his shirt and Bob made a gesture to the other man.

"Come on, I know you still have a small spare. We need it for disinfection."

Jack looked sullen, but reached into his coat. He removed a small metal bottle from an inner pocket and unscrewed the lid. "At least it will go to good use." He handed it over to Bob, who was not smiling anymore. The man had a stern look of concentration on his face.

"It's going to sting, but it needs to be done, Your Highness."

Loki clenched his teeth, swallowing a hiss as the wound was doused with Jack's alcohol. It hurt like hell and the pressure being placed on it didn't ease the pain any.

"This will have to do for now," Bob stated, inspecting the wound. "Put on your new shirt, Highness."

Loki took the shirt, decidedly not complaining about its hideous blue colour, and proceeded to pull it over his head. Sometimes need was more important than pride. Loki did not say any words of gratitude. He just mustered up his remaining strength and took his coat. "I will rest," was all he said before he took off with slow, steady steps to his box.

_Great, I'm already referring to it as my box. What a pathetic excuse for housing._

The men did not follow him. Perhaps they noticed the change in his demeanour and decided it was best to leave him alone. He did not care. The one named Bob was tearing a few pieces from his old black shirt while trying to explain something to the drunk one, Jack. Loki figured he could try and salvage his coat. It was in poor condition, but he doubted he would complain about it come nightfall.

He no longer felt anger. Perhaps he was too tired or hurt. Instead, he felt a sadness hidden deep inside. He loathed himself for feeling like this; only weak-hearted people mustered up emotions like that. He sat down in his makeshift shelter. The sun dimmed and the air became cooler. The shade the box provided from the sun made his head feel slightly dull, but the throbbing numbed to a small, lingering presence. He sat there for a while, seemingly incapable of any coherent and clear thought. After some time had passed, there was a soft tap against the cardboard.

"I would knock, Your Highness, but these things don't have doors." Bob peered under the flap of his box.

Loki glared at the entrance. "Leave me be."

"No can do. We boiled the strips we tore off your shirt earlier. They're clean now and your wound needs further attention. If it gets dirty again, your predicament will only worsen."

Loki hated others for being right. "Hand them to me. I can take care of it myself." He was handed the bandages. The fabric still felt a bit wet, but it was warm and clean. A mug of soup was also handed over.

"You can keep the mug, but that is the only bit of soup we can spare, Your Highness," Bob sighed. He knew that this man was in some state of denial. God only knew what this guy had been through.

"It's Locke. Locke Ladislav."

Bob raised an eyebrow. He had not expected the young man to tell him his name. "Thank you for telling me your name, Locke." Bob gave the box a pat. "Now rest well and sweat out your fever."

The broth Bob handed him was watery and had some pieces of onions and carrots. Nonetheless, it warmed up his body and filled his empty stomach. Before he knew it, he was sound asleep.

The next two days were roughly the same. Loki slept most of the time, his body needing the state of relaxation to heal. He was given soup, a piece of stale bread if there were any leftovers, and a bottle of water that could be refilled at the nearby gas station. On the third day, he felt alert enough to get out and go see his surroundings. The makeshift shelters were built between two walls under a large bridge. There was a waterway close by, but nobody used it for bathing or drinking. The water was an unnatural dark brown colour and it smelled even worse than the man nicknamed Jack Daniels.

On the fourth day, Bob invited him over to the fire. The sun was down and everybody shared a plate. Somebody had managed to get some meat for the soup. For them, this was a feast. Loki learned the names of the other drifters that took residence in this area aside from Bob and Jack Daniels. He did not feel like socialising with them. As soon as he was back in shape he would leave. He would go and…

Go where actually? Loki could have given himself an inner face palm. Who was he kidding? Nobody would help him. He was an invisible vagrant with no identification to prove he was anything else. He didn't even have his own name anymore. He'd become Locke Ladislav, though his current "companions" still preferred to call him by his nickname, Your Highness.

They came so close to the truth.

It hurt being here, but there was nowhere else to go, at least no place that would welcome him with open arms. He didn't speak much and the people here left him alone, mostly. Bob talked to him quite frequently, unknowingly giving Loki vast amounts of information concerning the inner workings of the city. The man did not seem to mind the tone of authority Loki had in his voice when he spoke or maybe the man just ignored it.

"So, do you still want that bath?" Loki looked up at Bob's query in surprise.

"By the Nine, I desire it. But…just having a desire doesn't make it happen." Of course he wanted to be clean, but he did not dare to touch any of the surrounding water. The only clean water here was reserved for drinking or to be used in food.

"There is a nearby shelter for the homeless. They have this system with a list. Every now and then we get the chance to have a decent warm meal and hot cup of coffee. But most of all, we get to take a real shower and a night's rest on a mattress." Bob stood up and cracked his neck. "I took the liberty of putting my name and yours on the list last week and, if you are up for it, you get to have that bath you so much desire. Well, not a bath, really, but at least you will end up clean." The man's moustache moved as he gave Loki a bright smile.

"I will accept this offer."

"Ha! Thought you would, Your Highness. Now come on. Let's be off!"

On their way to the shelter, Loki caught himself with a slight smile on his face. Not a fake smile but an actual real smile. For reasons unknown, this man had helped him unselfishly, not asking or demanding anything in return. He had given him what little food and shelter there was available. His wound was cleaned and now healing. Most of the bruising had faded. Even now, without a doubt, the man had put down "Locke's" name so that he could have a moment of tranquillity and decent sustenance. Loki felt unexpectedly grateful. He wanted to express his thanks to the man for what he had done over the last few days.

Bob crossed the street and was talking to a young woman at the door to a building. Loki assumed they had arrived at the shelter and started to cross the street after Bob. He would express his feelings of gratitude. Not many earned a 'thank you' from his mouth, especially humans. This one would be a rare exception.

"Bob?"

The other man turned around to face Loki, his smile slowly fading off his face.

A car screeched loudly. The last thing Loki saw was a speeding automobile swinging uncontrollably in his direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The name Loki took on as a human is Locke Ladislav. Locke refers to being locked. And Ladislav means "glorious rule" or "rules with glory." You guys get the whole point.
> 
> Thank you for the kind reviews. You guys give me soul food and the courage to go on. Don't forget to leave one.
> 
> Chapter 5 is on its way. And six is being written right now!
> 
> And of course a big thank you for my betas, sinister banana and swordmisstress.
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: I still don't own Marvel.
> 
> But Bob is all mine!
> 
> And a good friend of mine gave me a ,Loki necklace. If you read this thank you!


	5. chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Fuck!"

Tony ran a hand through his hair in frustration. Work did not go as planned and, by God, it was boring. With a simple gesture, he readjusted the blue screens in mid-air around him, trying to see if there was something his eyes had missed.

For several days now, S.H.I.E.L.D. had him investigating the pattern of a small impact in the city. Whatever had caused it came from Asgard, that much was clear. It even showed some similarities to the pattern Thor gave off when descending to earth, except this time there were no thunderstorms or lightning flashes in the sky. Instead, it had rained, the only rainy day in an otherwise sunny week. Clouds had darkened the skies and water came pouring down. The air had felt colder too, like Old Man Winter had decided to take a day trip to New York.

 _Something came down alright_ , Tony thought to himself as he sneezed loudly. "And gave me this fucking cold," he muttered to himself. Tony wiped his nose and tossed the tissue in the general direction of the garbage bin. It ended up missing the bin and rolled into a small pile where several other balled-up tissues lay.

"Dummy! I need you to clean up this mess." One of the robots in the lab reacted, making a soft whirring noise of protest.

"No bitching."

Dummy huffed and let his head sink in defeat. The robot started wiping the floor and sorting out the trash.

Tony noted the irony in his situation. Iron Man could survive nearly anything—killer machines, psychopathic Russians with a hoard of robot soldiers, throwing a nuke into outer space, and, of course, godly super villains with massive alien armies. Ah, those were fun times. But Mother Nature in all her screwed up glory decided to give him a freaking cold. He couldn't even wear his Iron Man suit in his current state. One stupid sneeze and a building might get blown into tiny bits of rubble.

"Jarvis?" Tony pinched his nose, holding back another sneeze.

"Yes, sir?"

"Is Pepper back yet? I need some pills. Or some other glorious medication to fight off this damn cold. God knows I have better things to do than being sick, like dating sexy blond twins."

"Miss Potts is in the elevator, sir. She will soon reach this floor."

Tony minimalized all the screens with a flick of his index finger. "I'm calling it a day, Jarvis. Close down the lab behind me. There's no point chasing after air." Tony walked out and the lights went down one by one. Only a few green and red flickers indicated that the devices were merely asleep. He went straight to his bar, feeling the need for a good strong drink.

"Sir, Miss Potts has arrived."

"Thank you, Jarvis."

Tony could hear footsteps coming down the hallway. Those footsteps were always a familiar and secure sound, something that probably would never change. He cared deeply for the woman, more than he did for most people. They had even tried to be together for a moment and make it work, but Tony just could not see her like he saw other women. Sure, the sex was great, but afterwards, there was always an awkward atmosphere. While he was with her, he gave monogamy a small try. It lasted for about two weeks until he had an interview with a petite, slender, and very attractive brunette. And…well…she was hot and he wanted his mouth to do more than just talk. When Pepper walked in on them, she didn't even look angry, just disappointed. She told him to, " _Be ready in ten minutes_."

Tony took a good bottle of Glenfiddich whiskey from under the counter and a glass from the cabinet. He put both down on the bar's counter. The footsteps halted and he turned around, opening the bottle.

"Pepper, please tell me you have the pills." The bottle made a gulping noise as he filled the bottom of the glass with the honey-coloured liquid.

Pepper sighed, "Yes, Tony. I have them. And please do not tell me you intend to take them with whiskey?"

"Aaaah, come on, Pep! You know me better than that." She handed him the bottle and he immediately took three pills out. Disregarding the instructions, he threw them into his mouth and swallowed them down with a decent gulp of whiskey.

"Of course I'm taking them with whiskey." He rolled his eyes and downed the rest of his drink.

"Sometimes I think you have a death wish, Tony. You really should take better care of yourself."

"Maybe, Pep, but Death has no wish for me. He's had plenty of chances for that already," Tony quipped back as he started to refill his glass.

"Sir, Director Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. is calling," announced Jarvis.

"Tell him I'm out. Important business or something like that." Tony sipped his whiskey, enjoying the taste as it lingered on his lips.

"Sir, he is demanding your attention now."

Pepper looked over at him like she wanted to say something.

"End the call, Jarvis."

"Yes, sir."

After a moment of silence Pepper's phone rang. She reached into her purse, taking it out. Tony shook his head in a huge NO, but Pepper answered the call anyway. "Yes?"

Meanwhile, Tony face palmed and made an 'I-am-definitely-not-here' gesture. Pepper pointedly ignored him. "Yes, he is here, Director. Hold on. I'll put you on speaker phone. Jarvis, if you would, please?"

"Certainly, Miss Potts."

Tony mouthed the word ' _traitor_ ' toward her. Pepper gave him the 'you-better-do-this' look.

"Stark, you'd better have an explanation ready!"

Tony mouthed 'Why?' toward Pepper dramatically before answering Fury. "Bruce and I have done what you wanted. Whatever it is, it came from Thor's home. Ask him."

"I know that, Stark, but what and, more importantly, WHERE is it?"

Tony shrugged his shoulders. "We have no idea. It's probably just a puff of smoke. Now, if you will excuse me, I have something to attend to, right, Pepper?" Pepper nodded to him, and Tony was surprised. He didn't expect there to actually be someplace he was supposed to be. "And besides, if it was something of concern, we would have seen Thor already. So take a chill pill, Fury."

"You do not, I repeat, you do not ask me to take a chill pill. This is a matter of national security!"

"Jarvis, shut off all incoming calls, please."

"Yes, sir."

"Stark, I will not sta—" But Fury was cut off.  _Finally_.

"Pepper, don't ever do that again. And what do you mean we have somewhere to be tonight?"

Pepper put away the phone. "You made a promise two weeks ago—"

Tony cut her off. "I make a lot of promises and you know I don't always keep them."

"Well, you should, Tony. You're the city's hero and I would like to keep it that way. I don't care whether or not you want to go because you're going." The tone in her voice made it clear that he was without a choice.

"So much for free will." He took another sip of his drink. "Okay, so what do you want me to do?"

"I made an appointment at a shelter downtown. We've promised to pay them a visit and serve soup to the homeless," Pepper replied. "There'll be an interviewer from the New York Times and if all goes well, we'll get some good publicity. I even made some arrangements with a construction company so we can give a few people a new change in life."

"Yeah, that's nice and all, Pep, but I'm not feeling particularly up to surrounding myself with a bunch of bums tonight."

She gave him a cold stare. "Get over it, Tony. Tonight you will serve soup to the homeless. And I will not have you smelling like one. Get rid of your drink and take a shower."

"Aye, Commander," Tony gave a bright smile. "I'll also brush my teeth, comb my hair, and pick out my finest suit. Teach 'em what style is."

"Don't be so full of yourself, Tony. I am leaving since there are still preparations to be done beforehand. I expect you to be there in…" She checked her watch. "Fifty-five minutes. Jarvis has the address. Be there, Tony!"

Well, she sure didn't leave him with much time to take a decent shower. Being a public hero sure sucked ass sometimes. Serving a bunch of homeless people soup? Pfft, did it even have a point? The only good thing about homeless people was that they drank. He could relate to that. Perhaps he could even play a drinking game with them. That might brighten up his evening. Tony emptied his glass and left for the bathroom. Showers took time, especially when the hot water felt so good rolling down your back.

"Sir?"

Tony turned off the water and stepped out from beneath the shower head. He grabbed a nearby red towel to cover himself. It had the name 'Stark' on it with gold-coloured embroidery. "Yes, Jarvis?" Tony rubbed his jaw. Perhaps he should shave and trim a bit.

"You've been in the shower for thirty minutes. I advise you to get dressed and leave now."

Tony wiped his running nose and looked for the bottle of cold medicine. "Yeah, I'll do that…right after this." Tony walked to the bar in the living room. Still half wet and wearing his Stark towel, he took another pill from the bottle.

"Sir, I advise you against the use of more cold medicine. You've already had enough. Taking more could result in unwanted side effects, especially with the alcohol."

"Jarvis, shut up. I do not care and I will not get drunk from this." Tony took the bottle from the counter.

"Sir, I must protest against—"

"Jarvis, mute." Silence followed. He was glad he'd had the foresight to build in a mute function for the A.I. He could live without its wise-ass comments for the moment.

Tony selected a grey suit, red shirt, and a grey tie with golden dots. He looked in the mirror and approved of his choice.  _Hell, I always look good_. He checked his watch. Eight more minutes. Too bad he could not wear his Iron Man suit. Tony shrugged. He had flashy, fast cars. He would get there in time, even if he could not go as fast as he would have in the suit.

"Jarvis?"

"Yes, sir?"

Tony picked out a new Rolex to match his outfit. "Ready my Lamborghini. I'm leaving."

"Your ride is being readied, sir."

Tony entered his elevator, the doors closing swiftly behind him. It'd actually been quite a while since he'd driven a car. The last time was when Loki got shipped off to Asgard with Thor.

The doors opened with a 'swish,' displaying his garage. The car was ready and stood at the exit. Tony grabbed the handle and opened the door. "Whoa…" He groaned as several black spots clouded his vision. "Yeah, this isn't so good. Oh well." Tony ignored the problem and got in the car. He turned the key and the motor roared like a beast. The gates of the garage opened automatically with the start of his vehicle and Tony drove out at frightening speed.

He couldn't remember exactly when he started to feel sick. After all, those pills were supposed to make him feel better. His sneezing had stopped, but god, his head hurt! Not to mention those black spots he'd seen earlier. He heard the voice of Jarvis in the background telling him they were almost there.  _Hmm, maybe I should have read the medication directions for those pills, or listened to Pepper._

Tony took the next turn too fast and too sharp. The car lost its grip on the road. He tried to control the steering wheel and managed to straighten out again. Oh, God, my head. The thought barely crossed his mind when his vision became clouded again by black dots. He shook his head and the dark spots vanished. His mind became a bit clearer again. He turned his attention back to the road and his eyes widened.

"Oh, fuck!"

A young man was frozen in the middle of the road, blinded by his car lights, and Tony was driving too fast to stop in time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel, but I did buy nail polish in Loki colours.
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you guys for taking the time to read.
> 
> Don't forget to leave a review if you liked it, or if you feel things are not in order. I will feed off it like some kind of soul sucking demon.
> 
> And last but not least, big thanks to Sinister banana and swordmisstress for beta reading.
> 
>  
> 
> As for my reviewers, i know i am slow in developing the FrostIron. But thrust me i will get there ^^ kekekeke


	6. chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Pepper arrived early at the shelter. She always arrived early or perfectly on time. She had a spotless reputation that was only soiled by Tony's childish outbursts. Luckily for her, they had lessened after the Avengers defeat of Loki and the Chitauri - at least the runaway God of Chaos had done some good.

The shelter organisation had been very helpful and given her a tour before its doors opened. It was an old, renovated house that was built for sturdiness rather than beauty. The structure was divided into sections. The first floor housed the kitchen, toilets, and a dining room that sometimes had other functions. Pepper recalled seeing a small article in one of the local newspapers. An area doctor had transformed the shelter's dining room into a small emergency room during Loki's attack on the city. It gave the area's habitants their first shot at receiving basic first-aid. The first floor also held showers, a communal area for washing, and there were three bedrooms, each occupied by four bunk beds. The second and third floors only held bedrooms and toilets. You could donate clothing or other useful items in the entrance hall. Absolutely no space was wasted here, a thing Pepper greatly appreciated.

Pepper checked her watch. Tony should've been here already. She sighed inwardly. There were some things that Tony would never learn, like punctuality or being subtle…or keeping his promises to her. She was increasingly glad that she scheduled an exclusive interview but had given Tony a start time that was fifteen minutes early. If he had any sense left, he'd be here on time or regret it deeply.

She decided to walk outside and wait there. People started passing by her at the entrance and she could smell that the kitchens had opened for service. A young woman with dark circles around her eyes walked past, accompanied by a young man who squeezed her shoulder in comfort. The last few weeks were hard on anyone who tried to pick up their normal lives, much less the people that had almost nothing before the invasion.

A short, bald man started crossing the road. His coat was clearly too big for him and his shoes looked overused. By all means, he looked like a homeless person, yet under his dark moustache, the man had a broad, warm smile on his face. It reminded her of the smile her grandfather used to give her when she was little - a caring smile.

He looked at her with a grin. "A good evening to you, Miss!" Then he turned around, looking at the sidewalk on the opposite side of the road. "Come on, Locke. Your royal bath is waiting."

The person he shouted to gave no noticeable reaction. The young man called Locke kept on walking, a tough look on his face. Locke's shirt was a faded blue and much too large for him. It also failed to hide his bandaged arm. Pepper noticed that Locke's injury. She gave the bald man a concerned look.

"Yeah, he's not much of a talker, but I can't blame him," the moustached man said. "I'm Bob, by the way. Pleased to meet ya!" Bob held out his hand in greeting and Pepper took it, giving it a firm shake.

"Pepper Potts. Nice to meet you."

"Potts, huh. The name sounds familiar."

Pepper smiled politely, but with concern, and cut the man off, something she normally wouldn't do to anyone aside from Tony. "What happened to him, Bob, if I may ask?"

Bob's smile faded a bit and his eyes saddened. "I don't know, but I would guess too much. I found him wounded and looking for food. Back at our camp, he caught a high fever. But his Highness is doing a lot better now." The man had his smile back. "He sounds like a spoiled kid sometimes, but I can see he has a good head."

Bob's sentence was cut short by Locke's slightly raised voice calling out to him. "Bob?" It wasn't arrogant or demanding, but it had a certain resolve to it, like a man who had just made a very important decision.

Suddenly, Pepper's face paled to an ashen-white as she recognised a red blur heading their way. "Oh God, no, Tony!" She cursed inwardly. How was it that things always got screwed up with him? She'd hoped for a steadier life after Loki's capture. Looking at the fast red blur, she thought to herself, ' _Whatever happens, please_  let  _him be safe_.' She feared for the worst but always hoped for the best. The area filled with the sound of screeching tires and the smell of burning rubber.

* * *

Several things happened in that instant. Bob and Pepper, who were both standing in front of the shelter, realized that there was nothing they could do in time. Their faces paled and their eyes widened in fear and worry. Bob stretched out his arm in vain, reaching towards Locke. He yelled out, but the other man didn't seem to hear him. His eyes only focused on the car careening his way.

Loki felt like he was glued to the ground. His mind told him to move and run, to magic himself away. He almost moved his hand to do so, forgetting momentarily that he was human, but he could not avoid the inevitable.

Tony sat in his car, a frozen expression on his face. In his mind, he blamed the medication, his cold, and the alcohol, but mostly he blamed himself. He should have listened to Pepper, the one person he could always count on and the one person who cared for him even if he did screw things up royally. In a moment of clarity, he called out for Jarvis and told his A.I., " _Do something_!"

Jarvis, of course, reacted with a polite, "Yes, sir." He was fast, and not the kind of fast that broke racing track records, no, Jarvis was much faster. If the A.I. could feel pride, he would feel it for this aspect of himself, well, that and his intelligence. He calculated the distance and speed of their travel, taking into account the environment and potential trajectory of the vehicle. He checked the stability of the car and the durability of the brakes.

Before Tony could say anything else, the brakes were pushed in and the steering wheel turned. Tony Stark was no longer in any control of the vehicle. Rubber tires left skid marks on the street, leaving behind the smell of burning rubber. The car took a sharp turn with so much force that it flipped to the side and rolled against a lamppost, which only slowed it down a bit and gave it a spin. The Lamborghini finally crashed into the butcher store across the street. It came to a heavy halt half inside the store.

It looked like chaos. The cars wheels were still spinning, but the Lamborghini itself was dreadfully silent. Pepper had already reacted, her smartphone still in her hand after dialing for an ambulance and further assistance. A black car stopped at the shelter and a man with a camera came hurrying out. Great, the press is already here, flitted across her mind, but she could hardly care to worry about them. There were more pressing matters, and lives, at stake.

Bob ran to the wreck of the store and Pepper followed suit. The media were going to have a field day. Pepper could already predict the headlines for tomorrow. It had all been so positive for Tony these last several weeks with only stories and articles about Iron Man's heroic acts. The city sure loved its gold and red savior.

Pepper held her heart, hoping that both men were still alive and well. But mostly she worried about Tony's safety as she called out for him. "Tony!" She stood in front of the store trying to get a good view. The car had gone straight through the window, tearing the door off in its wake. The back of the car was sticking out into the road and looked like a truck ran over it. She heard sirens wailing in the distance as the ambulance quickly rushed to their aid.

Bob had already entered the store, which was, according to him, the most logical place for Locke to be. He desperately hoped he would not find a bloody pulp of a body. Meanwhile, the first ambulance arrived outside, accompanied by a police car.

Pepper watched Bob go into the store as he undertook action instead of just standing around. He searched the place for any sign of movement. Glass lay scattered on the ground and the store's torn-off front door was half hidden under it. Pepper made a fist. She was so angry. That fool of a man! He'd better live so she could take it out on him later! From the corner of her eye, Pepper suddenly spotted movement underneath the torn-off door. It was the shape of a moving foot, kicking it from underneath. Without regard for her own well-being, she quickly rushed toward it, but before she could try to lift it, a hand was laid on her shoulder.

"Ma'am, you need to let the paramedics do their job. Please." That was when she noticed that her whole body was shaking. The man who had spoken lent her his arm. Another paramedic rushed to the scene with two others carrying a stretcher following him, readying it for transport. A camera's flash illuminated her face and she told herself repeatedly that she had to be strong.

She heard movements and the sound of glass crunching and breaking behind her. A loud groan followed as somebody was lifted onto the stretcher. Pepper turned her head to look, but the police man was blocking her view. She gave him her best  _don't-you-dare-cross-me look_. The cop moved immediately. The man on the stretcher was breathing and she saw his hand move.

That man, however, wasn't Tony.

* * *

_…Bleep_

_…Bleep_

"Sir?" a soft sounding voice said.

Eyes fluttered open, signaling that he was awake.

_…Bleep_

God, that sound was annoying! He groaned.

"Sir!"

"That was one hell of a party." Wait a second. Why was he upside down? Slowly, his memory came back to him. He was stuck inside his car, still in the seatbelt, with the airbag pressing against his face. "Jarvis, vitals please."

"Sir, I cannot do a full body scan, but everything seems to be in place. I do, however, recommend that you seek medical attention."

Tony felt very glad for the fact that he had reinforced most of his cars by adjusting their structural base and skeleton. It made them more resistant, just in case situations such as this arose.

"I also recommend that you get out of the vehicle, sir."

"Jarvis, sound the car alarm if it is available." He needed to let them, or rather Pepper, know that he was alive and well. The high pitched car alarm went off. Pepper recognized it and felt relief wash over her immediately.

Bob also heard the noise and made his way to the driver's side door. He looked in to see Tony hanging upside down in an uncomfortable position. "I take it ya need some help here?" Bob reached into his pocket to grab his pocketknife. He cut the seatbelt that was trapping Tony in the vehicle.

"Thanks, man. I appreciate the help, Jarvis, deplete the airbags." But Bob had already ripped a hole in them and the air came out in a loud hiss. Bob offered his hand, helping Tony crawl out of the wreckage.

"Anthony Stark!" Tony recognized Pepper's angry and authoritative voice and boy was he happy to hear it.

"Right in here, Pep." He got up from his knees, the elder man still supporting him. "Thanks again."

Bob took a good look at the man he was helping. He could smell the alcohol on his breath...and driving a sports car! What was this guy thinking? As he scrutinized the man's facial features, he suddenly recognized him. Knowing who he was made Bob's blood boil. This man –  _this hero_  – was supposedly a genius. He had brains. He should learn how to use them.

Bob could only ask him one thing as he seethed at this revelation. "Are ya alright now? Everything in one piece?"

Tony nodded in response. "Yep, good to go again."

That's when Ironman Tony Stark got punched in the face by a very angry Bob.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And once again, thank you lovely people for reading. Thank you followers, and big thank you to the reviewers! I love you guys. And I know it took ages for them to meet face to face, but that is coming next.
> 
> A big thank you goes out to my beta Sinister Banana and wordmisstress
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel or the Avengers, but I did buy a kickass Loki t-shirt.


	7. chapter 7

 

**Chapter 7**

Tony felt pretty good for a man that was recently involved in a traffic accident. He only had a few sore muscles and some bruising from being squished like a pancake. He'd definitely suffered much worse incidents and injuries from being Iron Man. But this accident couldn't be blamed on any other person than himself. It was made by the one and only Tony Stark and he wasn't the only one to get hurt in the process. He'd deserved the punch the homeless man gave him.

Pepper made him go to the hospital for a medical check-up. Tony didn't see the point in it, but Pepper made it quite clear that returning home was not the best option. He could tell she was relieved when he didn't try to argue with her. He also noticed disappointment and anger on her face when she turned to face the press on his behalf.

He disliked hospitals and doctors trying to pry him for information. He kept his arc reactor to himself, not wanting any strangers to prod at it, during the relatively quick examination. Right now he was sitting on the edge of his hospital bed, waiting for Pepper's arrival. His was the only bed in the room. He had his elbows resting on his knees while his hands held his head. A dejected look crossed his face as he thought about the incident.

Tony could handle dragging himself into trouble. The times he'd done so were so numerous he couldn't count them on his hands alone. He'd always had a knack for diving head first into trouble, and if he didn't find it, then trouble would come looking for him.

He knew that the other man survived the crash. Pepper had already come into his room to confirm it. Afterward, she left to leave him alone with his thoughts. According to Jarvis, the man should only have minimal damage sustained by the accident. On all accounts, Tony should be happy that the only "dead" thing coming out of the crash was the hunk of metal that used to be his car. However, a single thought plagued his brain which rendered any happy feelings numb.

_"I could have killed him."_

His mind raced back to a time when another innocent person had been the victim of his reckless behaviour. It was a man he'd only known briefly, but had befriended rather quickly. That person had a kind heart which not only placed a certain amount of faith in him, but also changed the way he viewed the world. Ho Yinsen.

Kind, noble, and calm (not to mention very forgiving towards a man whose weapons wreaked havoc all across the globe), Yinsen was a true friend in every possible meaning of the word. Not only did he perform the surgery that kept Tony alive, but he'd also ensured that Tony stayed sane while they were in that gruesome hell pit of a prison. Their captors had them working on creating weapons capable of wiping out entire villages. Both Tony and Yinsen knew they would not be released and would only be killed after their captors thought they had outlived their use. So Tony and Yinsen formulated an escape plan to bring the first "Iron Man" to life. They bonded while forging the armour. Yinsen discussed weaponry and asked if that was the legacy the "great" Stark wanted to leave behind.

Tony made up his mind then. Yinsen made the ultimate sacrifice on the day of their escape. He died willingly so that Tony could live. The last words that Yinsen had spoken continued to haunt him.

_"Don't waste your life."_

As Iron Man, he made a difference helping people and saving the city – your basic, essential, standard, heroic butt-kickings. Yet despite this, Tony felt that Yinsen would be disappointed by his actions as a normal man.  _This isn't what he would've wanted. I'm still wasting my life. I still let others get hurt by my own selfishness._

Pepper could handle the press; she'd always done an excellent job of beating around the bush without lying. She'd scold him afterward and force him to do more charity work and make "positive" public appearances. Pepper could do a lot of things, but she could not help with the disappointment that overcame Tony when he was alone. He'd still smile to Pepper and crack jokes. He'd even pay a visit to the man he nearly killed and continue making promises that he probably couldn't keep. A knock on the door alerted him of Pepper's return. He grinned as she opened the door.

"Any good news, Pep? I could use some cheering up." She practically glared at him. Ouch, if looks could kill, he'd be a dead man.

"Come on, I know you've been to his room, probably negotiating or calming Bob's anger." Impressive. He'd actually managed to recall the name of the short man that punched him. "And I feel perfectly fine, thank you for asking ."

She sighed and a small smile spread across her face, making it light up a bit. "You're correct about that, Tony. I did talk with them. And suffice to say the anger was calmed down." The corner of her mouth lifted.

Was he seeing this correctly? Was Pepper smirking at him? This could not end well. "I sense a 'but' coming," Tony said.

"You're coming with me right now to make a formal apology."

Tony nodded. "Oh yes, the press will love that. I can show them this cool black eye I go—"

She pointed at him. "You will apologise directly to Locke Ladislav."

Tony raised an eyebrow. " _Who_?"

"The man you put in the hospital due to your reckless behaviour."

Tony was reluctant to show his guilt.

"You're not getting out of this," Pepper added. "And you can't crawl out of the other conditions either."

"Conditions? When did I get those?" He looked into Pepper's eyes, noticing the fatigue and weariness that filled them.

"I can't deal with this. It's draining me of my strength, and frankly I refuse to continue with this anymore."

Tony gestured in question. " _This_  being what?" he asked.

"Us. You," Pepper answered and sighed. "Tony, I love you as a friend. But I can't run a business, be a friend, and constantly babysit you! This accident was the final straw. From now on, I'm concentrating on work alone and you will let me have some peace of mind."

He gave her the trademark sad Stark puppy eyes. "But I can't—"

"Anthony Edward Stark, zip it."

Oh dear God. Not only had she interrupted him successfully twice during this conversation, but now she was using his full name. I'm in deep shit, Tony thought to himself.

"You're getting a personal assistant."

He nodded in acknowledgement.  _That's not so bad._   _I've had those before_. No point in adding fuel to her spitfire, especially since he'd had a penchant for ending up in bed with previous assistants. In fact, his only "secretary" to keep his advances at bay turned out to be the Black Widow. Now that he knew her true identity, he wouldn't touch her with a ten-foot pole, though he still thought she was hot. Not to mention the wrath of Hawkeye was not something he wanted to experience personally. Tony would let Barton and Romanov figure out their relationship and build an assassin's nest somewhere. He smiled as he pictured the ridiculous image of the pair in a real bird's nest.

"I know what you're thinking, and I am not giving you a choice in who I will hire for you," Pepper said, making sure the intonation of 'I' and 'you' was just right. It should give him a slight scare to know what she was really thinking.

"You're joking, Pep. How will I know if the person you hire has the right qualifications? It takes more than the average person to withstand my natural charms." A smug smile crossed his face. "In fact, I think all of them, no matter how qualified, snuck into my bedroom at some point."

"I will take my chances, Anthony. Now get up and come with me, or so help me God, I will drag you to Locke's hospital room."

* * *

Loki slipped in and out of consciousness during the ride to the hospital. He could sense a person wrapping something around his neck and attending to his wounds. The engine of the ambulance rumbled softly and the vehicle shook on its wheels after every bump in the road.

Why did these small creatures keep on trying? If they knew who he was, would they still be treating him like this? Loki wanted to protest against the gross invasion of his privacy. He tried to raise his arm, reaching for one of the men attending his wounds. In reality, though, he just looked like a poor injured man who was pale as a sheet and in need of assistance. One of the men looked at him and muttered, "Poor bastard." Loki tried to glare but his eyelids would not obey his commands any longer. He settled on cursing the man with his thoughts before losing consciousness.

The first time Loki woke, he had grave trouble opening his eyes. It felt like they had crusted over. He forced them open to see a sliver of light, but white was all he saw - bright, white lights and the vague contours of two people. From the intonation of their voices, he could decipher that they were discussing something and he wondered if S.H.I.E.L.D. had finally caught up with him. It had taken them long enough.

"Locke, are you awake?" Loki recognised that voice immediately. Even if he didn't have a clear view of the man, he had no doubt that it was Bob. But then who was the other person and, more importantly, what were they discussing? He forced his concentration and the room seemed clearer. Behind Bob was a familiar-looking woman. Where had he seen her before? The answer was right on the edge of his mind, but his eyes closed against his will. He heard her say something, but could not discern any intelligible words. Everything around him became a disordered blur and he succumbed to darkness once again.

The next time Loki woke, his eyes reacted normally, but he was still temporarily blinded by the vivid lights in the room. He recognised his settings to be a hospital room, which meant that nobody had found out who he was yet. Correction:  _What I am no more_.

He felt uncomfortable and too warm despite this being the first time he'd slept in a bed in what seemed like ages. He shifted around and realized there was a transparent cord coming out of his wrist. They had put something inside of him! Not knowing what it was, he reached for it, but his shoulder hurt as he did so. He noticed that his left shoulder and arm were bandaged with a clean sterile cloth. He stopped trying to pry at his wrist. The arm felt hot and heavy, but clean. He yanked at the pale green sheet, wanting to see what further damage his body held.

"What is this hideous contraption they have me wearing?" Loki's clothing was gone and instead he was wearing a simple, long shirt that was the same pale green as the bed sheets. There was a cast around his left leg. He didn't even attempt to move it since it might cause more damage. Humans had a barbaric and rough idea of tending to the wounded. Healing magic had never been his strong point, but fixing a broken bone was only a simple flick of the finger when compared to this clumsy block.

The door to his room opened and he saw Bob waving to someone outside in the hall. "Yeah, I'll see ya soon, Miss Potts. I swear I won't punch him this time or any other time as long as he holds his promises." Loki recalled his earlier wake-up and the two figures discussing matters over him. They had been talking behind his back! To think he had wanted to thank Bob earlier for his minimal attentions.

"Your Highness, glad to see you managed to open your eyes long enough for me to say hi," Bob said while smiling at him.

The door closed behind the older man, but Loki waited until the footsteps in the hall faded before responding. He raised the arm that had the IV stuck inside. "Explain this. Now," he spoke in harsh, demanding tones.

Bob took a seat on one of the hospital chairs. "I'd better sit down for this one."

Loki lay still in the bed as he listened intently to the story coming from the other man. It seemed like it was by a stroke of luck that both he and the driver survived with only minimal injuries. By all accounts, he should be happy that the driver was apparently smart enough to do some mid-air calculations and thus avoid full frontal contact between Loki and the red sports car. It was quite the accomplishment for a mere mortal, though not one worthy of actual praise considering that the man was a dim-witted idiot in the first place for causing the accident. The moment the car tilted, it broke a street light, which fell down and loosened the cable that held the store sign up. In that moment, Loki was hit by the cable, sending him out of the car's trajectory. The doctors would soon provide the type of leg cast in which he could walk somewhat normaly and the wound on his arm had been cleaned and disinfected, but it would leave a scar.  _My first scar_ , he thought to himself.

Bob told him about punching the man that he so kindly referred to as that  _rich bastard_. "God, I was so worried and angry for you. I helped him out of the car, but the moment I knew he was all right, I gave him a good old punch in the face."

Loki grinned. "Well done, Bob. I congratulate you on the feeble attempt of revenge."

"Oh, Your Highness, do not praise me so much. Miss Potts is bringing over the man that caused the accident soon. She is forcing him to apologise. I would not like to be in his shoes right now. Miss Potts is one fierce woman."

"Well then, anything else worth telling me, Bob?" Loki had a feeling the man was keeping something unsaid and purposely hiding it from him. Loki could do nothing but ask himself why.

"Hmmm? Not right now, Locke. Rest is all you need. Anything else can come later." Loki was right. The man was hiding something from him.

Now more than ever he wished the medication had not left him so drowsy earlier. Otherwise, he would have stayed awake to follow the conversation between that Potts woman and Bob. Loki felt betrayed. _Why is this upsetting me so? The feeble emotions inside this body are so conflicting. No wonder gods have always played games here. Humans give off…much reaction._

Their little chat was disturbed by a knock on the door, which opened to reveal a woman with sleek strawberry blond hair and a strict face that gave her the look of being in total control. She looked at him and introduced herself, "Pepper Potts, pleased to meet you Locke Ladislav. I hope this single bedroom we've procured for you has suited your needs."

So this room was her doing. "I was wondering why I was not put in a shared room. And yes, so far it has suited my needs." He decidedly did not give her a 'thank you.' After all, they owed this to him. He did, however, smile at her – the same smile he'd given before to the young woman named Vicky at the doughnut shop. If this woman was anything like the others he had met on this planet…

"Do not think, for even a second, that I can be drawn in by fake charm. I've had my fair share of that already." Her face was serious and her tone hard and clear.  _Well, some exceptions are bound to exist._

"I am wasting time here, Pep."

 _That voice_. Loki's smile faded instantly as something darker crossed it.

"Heading in, whether you're ready or not." A familiar, dark brown mess of unruly hair appeared as the man began to step into the room while declaring his entrance. His suit was clean and crisp-looking, as if nothing had happened in the hours prior. Expensive sunglasses covered his eyes as the man peered down at his watch.

Pepper gave him a glare.

"Oh get over it, Pep. You know I'm not one to sit and wait patiently." The man entered the room and stopped next to 'Locke's' bedside.

"YOU!" Loki gritted his teeth in sheer anger, giving the man a glare full of contempt. He hissed out the name in a voice full of malice. "Stark."

Neither Bob nor Pepper had foreseen this reaction; even Loki could not have foreseen this. The anger that welled up inside him at the wrongs Stark had done just reached a peak point. The old Loki would have kept his composure but the new, more-human, Loki just followed his basic instincts. Somehow, he managed to lunge forward out of the bed, tearing the IV from his wrist in doing so. He grabbed a startled and surprised Stark and they fell to the ground in a tangled mess. Loki slapped him across the face and grasped his collar, raising Tony's head from the ground.

"You caused this!"

Tony, stunned, replied, "Well it wasn't just me…"

"Ha, and you dare to call yourself a hero. You are nothing but a common drunk! You even reek of liquor."

 _What is it with people today_? They all kept cutting off his sentences. "Hey there, buddy. Mind getting off me?" Tony carefully placed a hand on the man's arm.

"Do not dare to touch me! You coward. Do not pretend to care!" Loki released the collar, letting Stark's head fall on the floor with a thud.

That comment hurt and Tony unconsciously tightened his grip on the other man's arm.

Loki reeled back, the blood draining from his face as fury was replaced by sudden pain. "AAACK!"

Instantly, Tony realised what he was doing and he released his hold on the man.  _How did he manage to get me like that?_

Bob took Loki and helped him back to his bed. "Alright, that's enough excitement for one day." Never did he think the usually quiet and stoic Locke would get angry like this. He wondered why seeing Stark had triggered such a reaction from the other. He also noticed that Locke's wound had ripped open again. The bandages around his shoulder darkened.

Tony stood up and looked to Pepper who clearly had no idea what was happening.  _Great, so I've managed to hurt the same homeless guy twice now. Good going there, Tony,_ he thought to himself.

Loki felt so drained of strength and power that he had no spirit left to protest when Bob put him back to bed. Human bodies had a terrible way of reminding their owners of their limitations and he could definitely feel his body's limits as tiredness washed over him.

The room's three other occupants began discussing the situation, but mostly it consisted of Tony getting scolded and eventually pushed out of the room. Before Loki knew it, he felt sleep steal over him and he accepted it gratefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, finally they meet. Sorry for the long, long wait.
> 
> Thank you readers, followers, and favoriters!
> 
> Thank you kind reviewers, you guys give me courage to go on this quest! don't forget to review the next chapter ( or something similar)
> 
> And last but never least, thank you sinister banana and swordmisstress for being my betas!
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel or the Avengers.


	8. chapter 8

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 8**

The hospital wasn't too bad, especially if your former lodgings had included a box and a jail cell with a hard, stone floor. For the first time in nearly 20 days, Loki ate a real meal. Of course, the cheese looked like plastic and the bread felt like a sponge, but the hospital's hot meals were more than edible. For some foreign reason, he actually enjoyed the carrots and peas he was having tonight. This was his last meal before being released from the hospital to go his own way. He knew Heimdall was watching him. He was always watching. He was probably even amused at the sight of the great God of Chaos and Mischief struggling to get the last peas on his fork right now.

Loki would never admit it, but ever since this morning, he'd been feeling lost. He wanted to find comfort in his own anger, but all he felt was a dreadful boredom. For the past few days, he'd been "confined" to his room, waiting until this slow healing process finished. Sometimes, people stopped by. There had been a doctor in to examine his leg and a young nurse with black hair who changed his bandages on a regular basis. She also tended his shoulder.

Loki treated her the same way he'd treated Vicky, that girl in the doughnut store. Just like Vicky, the nurse could not resist him. It seemed like the woman named Pepper had a much stronger will than most Midgardian women.

Loki charmed the nurse and learned that her name was Cassandra – Sandy to her friends – and she insisted he use her more personal name. He assumed he looked horrible with his dull blond hair. The stubble on his face had also grown into a small, soft beard. Ugh. However, apparently Midgardian women had low standards. The moment Loki gently touched the nurse's hand, holding her finger lightly before letting it slip out of his palm, she turned around with flushed cheeks.

He asked her for something to read, a few books or interesting study material. She complied with a dreamy sigh. Before he knew it, she was back with a stack of magazines. If the material she'd brought him was interesting study material, then no wonder they acted so foolish. They read rubbish. He told her that the items she brought weren't pleasing to read, albeit in kinder words. She inquired about his taste in reading material. Loki contemplated the question. What would be useful to learn? If he was to learn Midgardian knowledge, it had to be something advantageous. Then it hit him.

_I can no longer speak the all-tongue._

He appeared slightly shy as he looked at her in embarrassment." Languages." He put a bit more assurance into his next sentence. "I would like to learn a foreign language, and perhaps recent history or geography."

She looked surprised at his request. After all, what kind of homeless man had a thirst for knowledge?

He managed to keep up the slightly embarrassed look.  _According to the magazine this is supposedly considered cute for men_. He looked down and fumbled with his hands. "I am aware that this is a strange request," Loki looked up earnestly at her. "You don't have to do this if it causes you trouble."

"Oh no! Don't worry about anything, Locke." She and some of the other nurses had started using "his" first name. It showed that they had a certain amount of trust and affection for him. She nodded to him in agreement. "After all, this might be your opportunity to study."

A broad grin spread across his face.  _God, I hope she gets out soon_. "Yes, you're absolutely right, Cassandra." She almost giggled when he said her name.

"I told you to call me  _Sandy_." She blushed. "I'll be back around lunch. Don't go anywhere!"

_It's not like I can, you stupid cow._  Sandy closed the door behind her. He sighed, glad that he was finally rid of her.

Loki later got a "get-well" basket from all the nurses on his hospital floor. It was Cassandra's idea, of course. At least it wasn't filled with mindless magazines. Instead, it had a French study book, a pen and paper to take notes, a thick book containing recent world history and events, and a novel of decent quality called The Stand. The books kept him entertained, relieving him of his earlier dull boredom. He took pride in the fact that he still picked up languages at unheard speeds. Basic French was now under his control. It was a pity that nobody here spoke it so he could test his newfound speech.

Finally, after five days of staying put, they removed the heavy lump of cast surrounding his leg. His fractured bone had set and could heal on its own now. The doctor gave him a new thinner cast that could be removed for sleeping or bathing. At last, tomorrow, he would be released from the hospital. It was his last evening here.

" _Finally_!" He caught the last of the peas with his fork. "Defiant vegetables."

"I see you've won the battle, Locke."

Loki did not feel the need to turn. Bob was keeping things from him now.

"I know you're upset because you think I'm keeping something from ya, Highness. And yes, I am. Or at least I was." Bob sat down beside him and did not look the least bit guilty. Instead, he looked happy.

"So tell me, what was so important that it couldn't be said?" Loki finally asked.

"I got a job offering from Miss Potts." Loki raised an eyebrow. How could Bob not tell him such a simple thing?

"I'm leaving New York tomorrow. Ya don't need to worry."

" _Why would I—_ "

"I'll be back, but not for a while. Something about starting at the bottom again."

"Well, congratulations, Bob. I'm glad you got something out of this event." Loki actually felt bothered by Bob's leaving. He was just reluctant in admitting it to himself.

Bob touched his shoulder. "I really will be back, ya know. Just give it some time. In the meantime, keep up with those studies. According to Miss Potts, you're doing well with them."

_How does she know?_

"Well, I'm off. See ya in a few weeks, Locke, and try to stay out of trouble for me, okay?" Bob left, smiling and waving at him.

_This doesn't bother me at all. Why would I need to rely on anybody, let alone a lowly insect like him?_  He left the hospital's dining hall and went back to his room. Bob's leaving felt like a betrayal, something he with which he was all too familiar. This time felt different from before though; for some reason, he felt even more alone than he had before the accident. He waved the feeling away. It must be some kind of human reaction.

When he opened the door, he was surprised by the person standing in his room, flipping through his notebook with the look only a strict teacher can produce. "Miss Potts, to what do I owe the pleasure?" He smiled smoothly.

She shuffled through a few more pages before she closed the notebook. "You've made considerable progress with your studies. It's quite remarkable for a man of your stature."

"My stature being that of the poor bastard that got run over by Stark?" he countered, both pleased and insulted by Pepper's comment and the fact that she was rifling through his personal items.

"No, being a jobless man without a home."

_Touché._

"I have a job offer for you, Locke. It's similar to Bob's. But I noticed over the last few days that you have many more qualities than I originally thought."

"Flattering words for a woman who spied on me. You could have just asked."

She smiled at him. "It's my job to know everything. I do my job well."

"It seems you do, Miss Potts. I suppose my congratulations are in order for a job well done."

"Thank you," she replied cheekily. "But I told you, the reason I'm here is to offer you a job." She paused momentarily as she set his notebook down. "However, I think I need to reconsider it."

Loki grinned. "Am I overqualified? What a shame. Really." This woman was playing games. Well, he was well-versed in playing his own and responded in kind.

Pepper laughed. "Actually, yes. And I think you'll want something more challenging than what I originally had in mind. So, I have a new deal." Her eyes gleamed mischievously.

Loki couldn't help but listen.

* * *

"Oh god, this nightmare doesn't end!" Tony regretted the day he'd agreed to Pepper's demands. Damn that evil woman. She'd even managed to get Fury in on this ordeal, not that getting Fury to agree to such a thing was hard to accomplish. Nick seemed to hate his guts more than usual lately. It didn't help that he and Bruce weren't finding anything on the anomaly that originated from Asgard. The only thing known was the point of impact. No other traces were found.

Tony was now subjected to several ridiculous conditions. So far he'd listened, but only because he owed Pepper after everything he put her through. She'd even made him a list, and as he was now holding it he was happily breaking Rule #2.

1\. No leaving Stark tower.  _So far, so good._

2\. No drinking.  _Yeah, right_. He rolled his eyes as he sipped his scotch.  _Nice try there, Pep._

3\. No parties.  _But I live, therefore it should be celebrated._

So far, he'd managed to stay home, trying to be a "good" boy, but he completely ignored Rule #2. It would take much more than recent events and Pepper combined to keep him away from alcohol. Staying home also meant he could work on his suit. He decidedly did not do work for S.H.I.E.L.D. ' _Fuck them_ ' was his general opinion on that right now.

He also called the tow service after the accident. He wanted his car back despite its appearance. Presently, the wrecked vehicle lay in pieces down in the lab he'd momentarily transformed into a makeshift workshop. He might try to make something decent from the pieces because right now, it didn't even look like a car. It was just junk and metal covering the floor. The drink in his hand served as extra inspiration while he contemplated what to do with the car.

"Any ideas, Jarvis?"

"Plenty, sir."

"And you're not sharing them? I'm severely wounded by this. I thought you were a better friend." Tony had no problems calling a machine he created a friend. Jarvis couldn't betray him like other people, so no harm could be done.

"Sir, you could provide a better example if you cleaned the living room carpet. I warned you last night not to spill your drink on it due to its white colouration. Yet somehow, you did so anyway."

"Spoilsport," Tony muttered sullenly. Okay, so maybe some harm could be done.

"Well, you did do it, sir."

"Just have somebody else remove the stain. Whose idea was it anyway to buy white carpet?"

"Yours, sir."

_God, why did I want white? It's a terrible colour that doesn't hide anything._

As if sensing his question, the A.I. said," You were drunk at the time, sir."

"Well that explains everything. I want a new carpet that's red. It goes well with my radiating personality and good looks." He emptied his drink. "Now, please tell me my dinner is almost here. I'm starving."

"It hasn't arrived yet, sir, but may I advise on ordering less pizza in the future?"

Tony shrugged as he put down his drink. "Hey, I'm hungry. You can't blame me for ordering five pizzas."

Jarvis paused. "Sir, the delivery boy just dropped off your pizzas. They are on their way up."

Tony thanked his own brilliance for installing a food elevator that went directly to his penthouse. He hated cold food and waiting for somebody to bring it up. "Perfect. Put on a good movie. I'll be downstairs." He left his empty glass on a workbench. Dummy would get it sooner or later. Right now he only cared about having his hunger satiated.

If Jarvis had a mouth, the A.I. might have grinned at Tony's words. The movie started playing.

"Jarvis, what is this?"

" _The Lion King_ , sir, and your dinner."

"Okay, I like the dinner. I should, I ordered it after all. But would you care to tell me why The Lion King, of all things, is playing in my living room?"

"Worldwide, it is considered either a good or a great movie. I thought you might enjoy the change, sir."

"Very funny, Jarvis. Now put on something decent." He took a clean glass, deciding on a brandy instead of whiskey to go with his pizza. He slouched into the couch and grabbed a slice of pizza with his free hand.

"Sir, Miss Potts is here," Jarvis announced.

" _Shit, my drink!_ " He looked around for a place to hide it. _Fuck it. I'm busted anyway._

"Anthony."

"This is not what it looks like."

She crossed her arms. "So you're not drinking while stuffing yourself with pizza and watching  _The Lion King?_ "

"Ok, so this is… exactly… what it looks like."

"Can you not eat and talk at the same time?" she asked disgustedly.

He swallowed his food before replying. "I can, but it's a waste of time, Pep." He lifted his drink, wanting a good sip before Pepper got it in her head to take it away from him. That's when he noticed there was someone else coming up on the elevator.  _What the hell?_

"Pepper, why did Jarvis not tell me about my other guest?" He was not happy about this, not happy in the slightest. The only person that could order Jarvis to not tell him something was Pepper.

"He's here on my invitation."

" _He?_ " Tony shot her a glare as he reached for his second box of pizza.

"Your new personal assistant, of course. I found somebody with all the right qualifications."

Tony nearly choked when the man came into view.

The newcomer drawled smoothly, a smirk barely evident in his voice. "Good evening, Stark."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always thank you for following and or favoriting.
> 
> I have made a few adjustments in the previous chapters, still if you notice a spelling fault or something send me a pm. Still a foreign idiot over here sometimes ( yes i use a dictionairy :p).
> 
> Thank you sinister Banana and swordmisstress for beta-ing you are enormously appreciated.
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: I still do not own the Avengers.


	9. chapter 9

 

**Chapter 9**

 

"I have a new deal."

 

Loki listened with curiosity to Pepper's idea and honestly he was quite fascinated by her offer. Yes, one could still say there were many negative sides to it, but the positives far outweighed the negatives, not to mention all the fun available to him. And the opportunities!  He'd take immense joy in the fact that Tony Stark would have to listen to him and obey his commands. That man would surely struggle and give a verbal fight, but Loki knew that Stark would have no say in the matter if Pepper decided that he – " _Locke Ladislav_ " – would be Tony's new personal assistant.

 

He found it amusing that Pepper was about to unknowingly throw a man for whom she cared deeply into the "loving" arms of the enemy, placing her trust in Loki's ability to guide or coerce Tony into listening.  Of course there were risks, but he did not look like his former self anymore. His more Aesir looks deceived the eyes. He also had no choice but to accept living quarters in Stark Tower; that would prove less than pleasing. But who would ever suspect that Anthony Stark's perfectly human assistant was the former God of Chaos?  No, this offer sounded too delicious to resist and Loki let the answer roll from his tongue.

 

"I accept this opportunity."   _With pleasur_ e.  "When would you like me to start, Miss Potts?" He kept his face a mask of indifference, keeping the mad laugh at the back of his mind.  _Eheheheheh_.

 

"Tonight. I hate prolonging this, so I'll fill you in with the details during our drive over to the penthouse. I'm taking this opportunity to also provide you with a change of clothes, seeing as you have no possessions. You need to make sure you get appropriate attire over the next few days. As Tony's assistant, you need to be ready for anything, so make sure to get at least one decent suit."

 

Loki smirked.  _Finally, I can get out of these bag-like, worn-out garments. They have far outlived their original purpose._  


 

"And have that thing," she gestured to his growing beard, "shaved off."

 

  
_I would have shaved, cut, or burned it off already if given the chance_. He rubbed his chin. After a full month of not tending to it, the dirty blond hairs had grown much longer than he liked.  "Gladly," he said.

 

"Right.  I'll be downstairs. Make sure you're ready in fifteen minutes." Pepper left him to get dressed. As she walked away, she flipped her cell phone to dial their driver.

 

  
_Well, at least these garments are clean_. Loki inspected the clothing Pepper had left on the bed. She must have gathered them on short notice, but at least the sizes matched and the colours didn't clash. He discarded the clothes he'd been wearing – a faded orange shirt with dark green and pale yellow symbols. A relic from the past.  An older nurse had provided him with clothing her son used to wear. "Used to" being the correct term after hearing that these garments came from an era called the early nineties. He hoped the designer would eternally burn for creating this atrocity. At least the grey sweatpants were comfortable.

 

Dark grey jeans lay on the bed, accompanied by a simple long-sleeved black shirt. Pepper even had the decency to provide him with suitable undergarments, something he wasn't wearing currently, but had desperately wanted. Appreciative to a certain degree, he got dressed, revelling in the clean feeling of new fabric against bare skin.  Now he only needed to get rid of that annoying fuzz called a beard, then he could consider himself somewhat presentable.

 

Packing would not be difficult, considering he had no worldly possessions aside from a few books. He did miss that aspect of his previous home. His room in Asgard had held important tomes that were now probably in the hands of brute fools who couldn't recognise their worth. The knowledge books held had more power over things than fists had any day.

 

He picked up his belongings and left the hospital room, giving a friendly smile to a passing nurse.  _Yes, goodbye to you all and good riddance._  


 

* * *

 

"You're early," Pepper noted.

 

"Of course I am. Why would I be otherwise?" Loki saw no point in waiting inside the hospital room until the clock had marked his time to leave. "Dawdling has no point. I suspect you have similar views."

 

"Locke, you're correct. I'm pleasantly surprised," Pepper smiled. "Generally the people around me have no respect for deadlines, so timely arrivals are rather scarce."  _Especially from the person named Anthony Stark._  


 

Silently, Pepper hoped that some of Locke's behaviour would rub off on Tony, but you can never be too sure. It was hard imagining Tony taking this new assistant seriously. At least she was sure that Locke wouldn't be talked out of anything, let alone end up in Tony's bed after a few days of work. That is, if you can call making bad coffee "work."

 

"We should leave," Pepper said. "Tony's probably ignoring his new rules and drinking again."

 

"Can't have that now, can we?" Loki shook away the memory of a bright red car speeding toward him. He'd felt so frozen with fright that he'd stood there just like a stunned animal. Even now, he felt shameful for his actions.

 

Pepper shook her head. "Alcohol is not entirely to blame, but I can't deny it played its role. Part of your job is to try and keep Tony's public drunkenness to a minimum. Trust me when I say that'll be a difficult accomplishment."

 

"I'll do what I can, Miss Potts. It is, after all, in both your interests and my own. Suffice to say, I myself am not overly fond of drunk people."  Or drunk Asgardians. Not that there is much of a difference between the two. They both act like toddlers.

 

A long, sleek, black car came into view and halted near the sidewalk. The driver exited and gave them a polite wave. "Good evening, Miss Potts."

 

"Evening, Happy. Take us to the tower, will you? By the way, this is Locke Ladislav. He'll be Tony's personal assistant from now on."  The driver opened the door to the back seats, revealing the light grey interior and the leather car seats. 

 

"Sir," Harvey gave a nod to Loki, who did not mind the gesture at all.

 

The drive to the tower was short and silent, and much to Loki's dissatisfaction, he felt hungry. He also felt nervous, its intrusion biting on the edges of his conscious brain. As time passed, it finally became so strong that he couldn't ignore it. Before he realized it, he spoke out loud.  "Do you think it will be alright?"

 

  
_This man is an enigma. He's secure and in control of himself one moment, and then suddenly, his emotions take over_. Pepper couldn't help but notice the similarities between some of Locke's mannerisms and Tony's, though the man before her definitely had a different way of showing them.  Pepper took a deep breath. "I won't lie," she said rather delicately. "I don't think Tony's going to be happy that you're his new assistant. But after a few days, he'll calm down. Who knows? You two might even befriend each other."

 

It was not the answer he'd been expecting, and the look she gave surprised him with its kindness and warmth. It wasn't the least bit condescending and somehow he saw her eyes recognising something in him.

 

"Actually, I'm sure you will make a great assistant," she concluded. Pepper couldn't quite place her finger on it, but of this, she was sure. Tony could use someone that had the guts to talk back to him.  He needed somebody who wouldn't be persuaded or misled by petty words and presents, a person with a personality strong enough to withstand Tony's.

 

The car stopped in front of Stark Tower and the driver bid them goodnight. Loki and Pepper walked toward the reception area. A young, brown-haired boy carrying a set of boxes sped past them in a hurry.   _That smells delicious_. Loki's hunger flared up. He had already eaten, but the smell emanating from the boxes made his mouth water. He stopped walking for a second and followed the boy running towards the receptionist.

 

"These are pizzas for Mr. Stark."  The boy said, handing the boxes to the receptionist for delivery to the penthouse.

 

"Locke? Are you coming?"

 

Loki snapped out of it. "Yes." He walked over to Pepper, ignoring the rumbling feelings in his stomach. His body seemed to crave this "pizza" and when the chance next presented itself to him, he would have it.

 

The elevator doors slid open and they entered. As the doors closed, Pepper spoke. "Jarvis?"

 

  
_Who is Jarvis_?

 

"Yes, Miss Potts?"

 

Loki was startled by the voice. "Who is that? Speak up!" He looked around, but couldn't see anyone else.

 

Pepper made a soft but audible laugh. "Locke, what you heard is Jarvis. He's an A.I. created by Tony. Jarvis, this is Locke Ladislav."

 

"It's nice to meet you again, sir. I'm glad to see that you are doing well."

 

Pepper saw the confused look on Locke's face. "Jarvis is installed everywhere that Tony can put him, including vehicles. Jarvis essentially is what saved your life and Tony's life the day of the crash."

 

Loki still looked around suspiciously, not trusting the bodiless voice completely. "You have my gratitude…Jarvis."

 

Pepper spoke again. "Jarvis, please put Locke on speech recognition and give him a Level Two clearance for the penthouse."

 

"Done," Jarvis complied. "Miss Potts, do you require anything else?"

 

"Not right now, Jarvis. Thank you."

 

Loki paused a moment before asking. "What did you, or rather it, just give me?"

 

"Level Two clearance for the penthouse. It's most of the same rights that I have for accessing various rooms in the building. Level Two means you can enter Tony's personal living quarters freely, but the lab and a handful of rooms above it are off limits. The voice recognition is for Jarvis. If there is anything you need, you can ask him for assistance." The elevator stopped. "All right, we're here. Just wait in the hallway until I break the news to Tony."  She left him standing there.

 

Loki grinned.  _And miss out on the fun? No way._  


 

"Pepper, why did Jarvis not tell me about my other guest?" Tony did not sound pleased.

 

"He's here on my invitation," Pepper replied.

 

" _He?"_  The surprise in Tony's voice was obvious.

 

"Your new personal assistant, of course. I found somebody with all the right qualifications."

 

Loki nearly shook with laughter, but he forced himself to keep a straight face at the sight of Iron Man Tony Stark choking on his food as he stepped into view. "Good evening, Stark."

 

Tony raised his hand and stood up, giving Pepper the halt signal. "Just," he coughed as he tried to get his food down, "give me a second to digest this."  The man cleared his throat and managed to empty the remaining contents of his glass before Pepper could stop him. Instead, she threw him a withering glare. "Better," he smiled weakly, and put the glass back down on the small, black table next to the sofa.  Tony paused for a moment, taking in Loki's presence, and then turned back to Pepper.

 

"No offense, Locke," he made an apologetic gesture towards the man, "But Pepper, are you out of your mind? He's not exactly what I would call 'qualified' for the job. Christ, this is not what I meant when I agreed to make some jobs available for these types of people. Does he even have references?"

 

_So this is essentially Stark's idea. Strange._

 

"No, Tony," Pepper argued back. "He is exactly what I would call 'qualified.' And perhaps if you ever bothered to look past appearances, you might see that as well."

 

"Oh come on! Can the guy even do…what it is that assistants do? Make shitty coffee and stuff like that?"

 

"You're stuck with him, Tony. There is no getting out of this. I have done what I needed to do and that is hiring a capable person—"

 

"Now I definitely need another drink. Oh, wait a second, if he's my assistant then isn't that part of his job? Maybe I should put him to work already." Tony picked up his cup and waved it around crudely. "Fetch me a drink, will you?"  Tony's whole spiel came out harsher then he'd intended. Crap.

 

Pepper rolled her eyes in a way he recognised as the "Really, Tony?!" look.

 

  
_Whatever, he'll be gone soon enough_. Tony slumped back into the couch.

 

"You really need to be more tactful when addressing people," Pepper reprimanded.

 

"I was being tactful as always."

 

"You were being an ass."

 

"Then my ass should not be this fine."

 

Pepper practically glared. "Stop it, Tony. Mr. Ladislav is staying here.  _Period_."

 

Tony cocked an eyebrow. "He is staying  _where_  now?  _Here_? That is a bad joke, Pep." She gave him the look again. "So it's not a joke.  _Damn_."

 

Tony noticed Locke returning with his glass and putting it down. He eagerly took it and brought it to his lips for a large gulp of whatever alcohol was in it.

 

 

* * *

Loki had walked off pissed.  _The gall that man has to address me like that_.  The condescending tone made it pretty clear how Stark felt about "his" kind of people. It was the same kind of tone he himself had used to describe humans and other lower creatures.

 

_I will get him for this._

 

He had located the kitchen with ease and soon started rummaging through the cupboards near a large espresso machine. His eyes turned to amused slits at finding something that would suit his current goal.  _Perfect_.  His idea was childish, but Loki was sure this would cause the man displeasure. If he recalled correctly, Stark drank nothing but coffee or alcoholic beverages. Both of which were unhealthy, especially in large quantities.  _Well, Stark, it seems a change of diet is in order._  


 

He prepared the drink which had the same kind of honey colour as some of Stark's alcoholic beverages. He took it to the living room where Stark was no doubt trying, in vain, to persuade Pepper from having him as house guest.  _The fool_. He smirked to himself.  He heard their voices more clearly now and Pepper's held victory. He set the drink down slowly, making sure that Tony would notice its arrival. The man took it rapidly, bringing it to his mouth and taking a large gulp of the honey-coloured liquid.

 

Tony started coughing immediately. "What is this shit?"

 

Feigning ignorance, Loki answered, "Herbal tea I found in one of the cupboards."

 

"Ok, first lesson if you're going stay, I do not  _drink_  herbal tea. Or any other kind of tea. Or just anything healthy."

 

Pepper couldn't help the laugh that escaped from her. She'd completely forgotten about the herbal tea which she'd bought a while ago on a whim. It was a bitter tasting solution of spices and herbs meant to cure hangovers and it could be steeped in either hot or cold water. It was obvious that Locke had chosen to steep it in cold water to give it the impression of being a type of whiskey.  _He really must have searched for this_ , she thought to herself. Because even if she tried, she could not recall where in the kitchen she had put the concoction. Tony glared at her with the look of a betrayed child.

 

"So this is your doing!" Tony quickly grabbed a slice of pizza to get rid of the awful taste the drink left in his mouth. "You guys might as well sit down and eat some pizza. After all, according to some, 'mi casa es su casa.'"

 

  
_God, that was a dirty trick_ , Tony thought to himself, though secretly he felt a sliver of respect. It took some guts to try and serve him herbal tea. Even Pepper wouldn't have tried it, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to try to get back at the guy.  Tony started searching through the pizza boxes. When he'd called in the order, he told them to send him a random assortment. That meant there was bound to be one pizza covered with anchovies somewhere in the pile. "Here," he said finally, holding up a slice for his new assistant, Locke.

 

Loki eyed Stark with suspicion, but took the offered slice. His body still seemed to crave this pizza and he felt he could not deny his hunger for this greasy-looking food. He took a bite and started chewing.  _Why is Stark still staring at me?_  The man kept looking at him expectantly as if waiting for something to happen. Loki felt uncomfortable with this and wanted him to stop, so he stared straight back while finishing the last bite.

 

"You are staring at me. Is that not considered impolite?"

 

"You ate the pizza," replied Tony.

 

"Of course I ate it. You offered it, did you not?"  Humans always seemed to repeat the most obvious things. Loki helped himself to another slice. He actually quite liked the salty taste.

 

Tony let out a frustrated sigh and looked away feeling irritated.   _Well, guess there are people who like anchovies. That ruined my fun._  


 

Pepper fought to keep a self-satisfied grin from escaping as the introductions progressed.  She clapped her hands lightly together to get their attention.  "Okay, now that both of you are more or less settled and paying attention, I can finally run you both through the new living conditions. Locke, you have the first guest room. It should be large enough to suit your accommodation here. It comes with a small dressing room that is currently empty except for some basic clean clothing. I took the liberty of arranging those for you. It also has a private bathroom and toilet. However, you'll share the regular living quarters and the kitchen with Tony. And Tony, I want you to give Locke a tour later this evening or tomorrow morning."

 

Tony waved her comment off. "Yeah, yeah, a tour. How lovely."

 

Loki kept silent as he listened. At least he had his own living quarters again. It had been a while since he'd had any real privacy. The hospital provided some rest but people were continuously walking in and out his room. Not to mention, this Pepper woman had kept aware of his activities.

 

"Locke, you'll also be given a phone and a laptop. My number, Jarvis, and Tony's number, along with some others will already be programmed into it. Have you ever owned a laptop before?"

 

"No, I haven't." He hadn't had a phone before either, but he knew how they worked. They seemed surprisingly handy.

 

"Tony, you'll have to show Locke how to use the laptop and some of the basic programs like Word or Excel. He can learn everything else on his own."

 

  
_Fantastic. I'm the world's greatest genius and I have to teach a bum how to use a PC_.  "Great idea, Pep" he replied sarcastically. "Do you also want me to explain how the coffee machine works?"

 

Loki sounded annoyed. "I feel insulted by the idea. I know perfectly well how they work. But I suspect that you have never even made a cup of coffee before without the aid of others. And yes, robots do count as others."

 

"I'll have you know that I make my own coffee and it is marvellous."

 

"I greatly look forward to having some of your coffee tomorrow morning then. I normally wake up around eight," Loki smirked. He'd never had coffee before but he relished the idea of Stark getting up early to serve coffee to his "assistant."

 

Tony narrowed his eyes. This guy was getting on his nerves. Despite the fact that he hated waking up before ten—no wait, make that noon—he said, "Then be ready for some magnificent coffee."

 

"Ok, enough bickering you two," Pepper said, cutting Tony off from further remarks. "Locke, you will learn how to use the laptop this week. The master agenda is on both the laptop and the phone. You need to make sure that Tony keeps to his appointments and schedule."

 

Loki nodded to Pepper. Learning something new should not prove difficult, especially when it had always come so easily to him.

 

"Tony, before you try to object, I've given Locke a credit card to use for any needed purchases be it groceries or necessities for your work. This also includes new clothing. I've already scheduled in a morning five days from now for this. Locke knows what is expected and I do not intend on seeing him go back to any of his old ways of dressing."

 

"I promise you will not see me anytime soon in my old clothes." Those rags were something he would never choose to wear voluntary. They had been a mere necessity. Although he would not mind getting his old armour back, he realized he would gain no favours by wearing it. Unfortunately, he would have to adjust to Midgardian clothing.

 

"Alright, I'll be going now. Locke, try to keep up with the schedule. I'll check in periodically. And if something really goes wrong, Jarvis will let me know."

 

  
_Traitor_ , Tony thought.

 

"Tony? Please just try this time, all right?" And with that, Pepper left, leaving Tony and Locke alone. She knew the two of them would probably end up arguing or fighting during the next few days. With strong personalities like that, no aversions were possible. Locke especially surprised her with his little herbal tea stunt. She hadn't anticipated such a silly, unexpected prank from the man. He had even tricked Tony into getting up on time, a feat many had failed at before. Most previous assistants tried to sweet talk him into getting up early, a thing that never worked on Tony.

 

Loki suddenly noticed that he'd managed to eat the entire pizza alone. The first bite had been a little strange, but he'd quickly gotten used to the salty taste and grew fond of it. He ate the second piece out of hunger, but the rest was purely for pleasure, something he'd never indulged in before as a god.

 

Tony decided to break the uncomfortable silence that hung in the air after Pepper's departure. "You ate the whole thing. Were you starving or something?"

 

  
_React normally_. Loki closed the empty cardboard box. "I was hungry at first, but not starving. The hospital provided sufficient enough food."

 

"Good God, you react like a stiff. Please do yourself a favour and get that stick out your ass." Tony stood up from the sofa and stretched. "Let's forget about the tour. I'm sure you're smart enough to show yourself around."

 

  
_And he dares to assume that I'm the bum? This is…what do they call it here…calling the kettle black_.  "Actually I would rather have you show me around as Miss Potts suggested. I think that would be the fastest and easiest way to familiarize myself with this new environment," Loki said, and then, unexpectedly, "And what is that thing playing in the background? I do not understand why the other lions cannot accept the rule of a strong leader."

 

Tony had completely forgotten about Jarvis playing  _The Lion King_  in the background.  Locke had apparently been following it throughout their entire conversation. "He's the bad guy," Tony explained. "Bad guys never win, especially in Disney."

 

"Disney?" Loki queried. "And why not? I always understood that in the animal realm, the darker-haired male lions had a greater chance of mating."

 

"They are just lions! It doesn't even matter," Tony said with frustration. "You really have been hiding under a rock somewhere, haven't you?"

 

"It was a box," Loki answered, as if Tony was the most dim-witted person alive. "Stop suggesting absurd things. One cannot live under a rock, a cave perhaps."

 

"Gaaaah, stop it!" Tony was getting seriously irritated. "All right, I'll give you the tour, but after that, I'm off and you will leave me alone for the rest of the night."

 

Loki grinned. "Deal."

 

Tony felt a shiver go up his spine. The man looked normal enough, but he felt like Pepper had just made a deal with the devil.

 

"Guess you've seen the living room. If you want to watch TV or a movie, just ask Jarvis and he'll play it. Just don't let him decide for you or you'll get some kind of cartoon or chick flick."

 

"Sir, you asked for a good movie. You never specified a genre."

 

"You know well enough that I do not watch Disney, Jarvis! Or sobby tearjerkers."

 

Loki saw no point in asking what Disney or chick flicks were. Some human things eluded him completely. But he did understand that the A.I. had used Stark's words against him and deliberately chosen something the man did not fancy. He could appreciate this.  They kept on walking to the kitchen he'd been in earlier.

 

"You've already been in here," Tony said. "Aside from the fridge and coffee machine, I don't use any of this. Read the manuals if you want to find out how shit works. They are around…" He pointed in the general direction of the kitchen." …here somewhere. Okay, now onto the next."  Tony wanted to get this tour over with as fast as he could; he felt uncomfortable being around the other man. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something just seemed off. Maybe it was the combination of Tony's guilt for nearly killing him and Locke's superior intelligence for a hobo that managed to impress Pepper, which, in itself, was quite the feat. Pepper was not easily impressed by others. But all things considered, that still did not get rid of the unnerving feeling Tony had from being around him.

 

Loki could tell that Stark wanted to be rid of him with all due haste -- the man felt noticeably uncomfortable in his presence. And he well should be. Although, something felt off; Stark's behaviour was different than the previous time they had crossed paths. Something had shifted in the man, gnawing on his natural confidence. But then again, the circumstances in which they had met before could not have been any more different. Back then, Loki had been clad in leather and armour and Stark a foolish knight on the frontline, trying to defy him with words instead of the usual array of weapons. Stark played his role well and Loki had enjoyed the attacking pace of their verbal war right up until he sent Stark flying through the windows.

 

The man in front of him was definitely different from the man he'd met before. It was only a slight difference, not nearly enough to be noticed by most. Loki refused to believe that his vehicular accident was to blame. It had to be something else.  He suspected Pepper knew. She was rather startlingly observant for a human. Perhaps it was one of the reasons she had decided to put some distance between them?

 

Tony continued. "And my work area is this way. You can go upstairs, but you'll find yourself in front of closed doors."   _We will see about that_ , Loki thought as he inspected the stairs leading upwards.

 

"Down the hall are the guest rooms. I'm guessing the first one on the right is yours. So here ends this grand tour."

 

Loki knew Stark had skipped over several things. On the floor below them was a gym, a room that held some sort of communal bathing area, and a laundry room that he highly doubted Stark even knew existed. He decided he would just acquaint himself with the other rooms later. Right now, he was tired of spending time with the other man and looked forward to any time away from him.

 

"It goes without saying that my bedroom is also off limits. That's only reserved for gorgeous women," Tony declared. "Oh, but if you do find one wandering around in the morning, get rid of her. I hate it when one night stands try to linger."

 

Loki hoped that Stark had women waiting to either kill him or crush his balls for that attitude, just like Fandral, who displayed similar behaviour. How these men managed to avoid past partners was a mystery to Loki. So was the reason for bedding so many different women in the first place.  "I would much rather that you take your nightly conquests elsewhere. I hate dealing with talkative women in the morning," Loki remarked.

 

Tony laughed. "Guess we actually do have something in common. Pep was right. 'Highness' suits you very well."

 

Stark knew his nickname! Bob must have used it in either Stark's or Pepper's presence. He didn't expect anyone outside of Bob to use it.  "I would prefer it if you did not call me that."

 

"Can I call you princess then?" Tony asked with a small grin on his smug face.

 

"Absolutely not."

 

"Then Highness it is," Tony said, that stupid smile still on his face. "I'm off. See you tomorrow,  _Highness_."

 

  
_Good riddance_. Loki was glad when Stark finally left for his own quarters. He hadn't shown it, but after consuming that entire pizza, he was hit with fatigue. Now he could finally go retire to his own room. He may have been declared healthy and released from the hospital, but his body was still recovering from the fever that had burned him out. It left him completely devoid of energy and the accident was just the drop that made it overflow. He could not control the yawn that escaped him. How human of me. Bringing his hand to his mouth, he paid no more heed to this thought.

 

The room was large for human standards. A king-sized bed covered with chocolate brown sheets stood dead in the centre. Its headboard rested against a wall that divided the room which had on open doorway on each side. The one in front of him and to the left side of the bed led to a dressing room.  The room was exactly as Pepper had said, fairly empty except for some basic clothing to get him through the next several days. He discovered a pair of blue jeans, two simple shirts, and suitable undergarments in one of the drawers.

 

Behind the other door was his personal bathroom, which had large, black tiles on the floor and walls carved of natural stone. A semi-transparent glass wall divided the bathroom, hiding the large walk-in shower. Towels hung neatly on a rack alongside the wall. There was even a toothbrush for him to use at the washbasin. He'd always loved long showers, the feeling of hot water running all over his body and washing away the filth, but the bed kept calling out to him and his urge to rest was greater than his desire to bathe. He undressed quickly, leaving his clothes on a chair placed by the far wall.  He pulled the covers back from his bed and slipped beneath them. The warmth enveloped him and the soft support the mattress provided made him drift off into his first truly peaceful sleep on Midgard.

 

* * *

 

A different tune was sung for Tony, who had been plagued with dreams ever since the Avengers had successfully defended the earth from invasion. For a good month, his sleep had been cut shorter than normal and he'd never slept well in the first place. The image that plagued his dreams sometimes crept up on him even when he was awake. In his sleep, he struggled and battled with the sheets only to suddenly wake from his dream.

 

  
_Fuck._  Tony thought as he bolted to the bathroom for an icy cold shower.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you friendly tumblr person for inviting me to ao3 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
> Reviewers i wish i was telepathic so i could mentally thank you from across the sea here, really you guys make my day.  
> Same as always, if you notice fault or mistakes do not hesitate to pm me. I am aware my English is not without faults.
> 
> Of course big thanks as always to my beta readers Sinister Banana and swordmisstress
> 
> Disclaimer: Still not the owner of Marvel.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel or the Avengers, or Tony Stark or Loki Laufeyson.
> 
> Bugger :c

**Chapter 10**

 

The freezing cold water hit his back hard. The droplets stung his back as the chill hit him. Tony's face still felt red and flushed, not just from excitement, but mostly from embarrassment. He let the water flow all over his body, willing his blood flow to stop gathering in a particular lower region. It was not something he wanted or needed right now.  Only one thought crossed his mind lately and it was always followed by the same questions. 

 

_Why me? Why now?_

 

Answers never came.  Not that Tony had tried to look for any answers. He was a fervent believer in just pushing everything away. He wasn't in denial either, for denial meant that eventually you had to accept what you were trying to ignore. No, he was downright refusing everything about his current situation with one single thought.

 

_I am not gay._

 

His refusal came in many forms. After the first dream, he drank himself into a stupor at home and Pepper had found him passed out on the living room floor. After sobering him up, she tried to help him by asking what was wrong. He just couldn't get a word past his lips. After diving into alcohol, he took to sleeping around again. It was not difficult to find a willing bed partner if your name was Tony Stark. He'd quickly found one, taking her home with him during the day and ending up in bed with his conquest. He finished, but it left him feeling entirely unsatisfied. That was the day Pepper walked in on him, marking the end of their already crumbling relationship. He still regretted hurting her, but he knew it would have ended anyway.

 

Many other drinks, women, and stupid ideas followed. He had ended up with a cold, gotten drunk again, and caused what could have been a fatal accident. And it was all the fault of the person that haunted his dreams.

 

_Loki._

 

He had always loved things that held beauty.  He found it anywhere and in different things. The most obvious always had been women and objects that portrayed a certain quality, like fast streamlined cars and clothing. It could also be found in less obvious things, like his own creations, the weapons he had created in the past, which, though he regretted, were still beautiful, and now his arc reactor. Even the powerful feeling he got from his suit belonged in this category.

 

During the battle against the Chitauri, he had shed his almost broken suit at the Tower and faced the fallen god without protection in order to draw the trickster into conversation to stall and win time for his comrades. He had found many things in that single being that he valued—beauty, speed, power. Mesmerizing green eyes full of hidden emotions, beauty that was tall, lean, muscled, and vicious. Now Loki kept invading his mind, killing him softly on the inside.

 

Tony turned off the shower and dried himself with a red towel that had his name on it in golden embroidery. He looked guiltily at his mirror image. Goddammit! He did not need this right now. He did not need this ever! As if he didn't have enough to deal with already, Pepper had gone ahead and gotten him Mr. Stick-Up-His-Ass as an assistant. Never mind that he almost accidently killed the guy. He was still happy that Jarvis had taken over control of the vehicle at the last second. It was just…everything was too much to deal with all at once.

 

He took an Iron Maiden t-shirt and pulled it over his head, searching his room for a pair of pants. It was early, six o'clock to be exact. An ungodly hour, especially if your last name was Stark, but he wasn't going to get anymore sleep, so he decided to make his way to the kitchen.  _I'll show that ass I can make coffee._  


 

He had not forgotten the deal, and believe it or not, Tony Stark truly was capable of making his own coffee. In fact, he often did so, not that Javis or anybody else could not make it. Tony was just very picky and nobody seemed to get it right except for him. His previous assistants had all tried to serve him coffee, but it always tasted like total crap. His coffee, on the other hand, was a perfect deep black that was best drunk without milk or sugar.

 

He made a full pot of it and poured some in a cup for himself, leaving the rest on the heater for later. He took his full cup and headed off to the labs.

 

* * *

 

Contrary to popular belief, Loki was not a morning person. He liked getting up early purely because it meant that the hours in a day could be spent better awake and active rather than sleeping. It definitely was not because he enjoyed waking up in the early hours like others thought.

 

Loki forced his body to crawl out of the warm bed, shivering as the chill air came into contact with his exposed skin. He watched goose bumps rise on his arms. He had gotten used to this phenomenon after a while. Although he understood the complexity of the human body, experiencing it first-hand could be…frightening sometimes. It seemed he discovered new things on a daily basis. Most of them he could do without. Others were not so bad.

 

After freshening up in the bathroom, he dressed himself in the same clothing as the day before and headed out to the kitchen. The hallway was silent and empty, and he found it hard to imagine he still was in the city. The past few days were filled with noises hammering his head, honking cars, shouting people, and other indefinable background noises. He welcomed this rare silence with open arms.

 

No Stark could be seen in the proximity of the kitchen, yet an almost full pot of coffee stood waiting for him at the counter. Loki decided to question the voice called Jarvis, who he'd concluded was a bit like Heimdall. Both always stood watching his every movement, though Jarvis was mostly contained to the house.

 

"Jarvis?"

 

"Yes, sir?"

 

"Did Stark brew this beverage himself?"

 

"Yes, sir."

 

  
_Well that is certainly unexpected_. By now, Loki knew the location of most things in the kitchen; his search the previous evening made sure of that. He took a plain white cup and filled it with coffee, wondering what the excitement that humans held for their "morning" coffee was about. He inspected the drink:  it had hot steam curling from its surface, the cup warmed his hands, and its smell was all right - tempting enough to goad a person into drinking it. So that was what Loki did. He took a large gulp of hot coffee in the hopes that it would quench his thirst.

 

Loki felt his eye twitch, another human reaction of his body, and he was trying his best to stop the other from commencing. _Do not spit out your drink._   _Surely I must have had worse in one of my many years._  He reluctantly swallowed his mouth full of coffee and emptied the cup in the sink immediately.

 

Then he did something he never would have done had he been in his right mind, just to get rid of the horrid taste. He turned on the faucet and, with his left arm as support, bent over to drink the water pouring straight from it.  _By the Nine, from what is that vileness fabricated? To think people drink_   _this_   _on a daily basis_! Loki decided that humans were more inclined on destroying themselves than he had originally thought.  Well, at least he felt awake now.

 

* * *

 

  
_Wait_. "Jarvis, what time is it?"

 

"It is 7:56, sir."

 

Tony stretched lazily in his chair and stood up.  _Let's see if this guy can hold up to my coffee. I need a refill anyway_. He minimized the screens and left the rest of his work as it was; he would return soon enough. Taking his empty cup, he walked to the stairs leading down.

 

"Oh, and Jarvis, order some breakfast doughnuts, would you?"

 

He could hear the sound of a cupboard closing and coffee being poured into a cup. Tony entered the kitchen and leaned against the entrance wall.  _Just in time._  He raised his eyebrow.  _I wonder if he can hold it_. He held back a laugh as he saw that Locke was trying to hold in the coffee with visible effort and then proceeded to empty out the rest in the sink while turning on the faucet.

 

"So…my coffee isn't good enough for you," Stark said, grinning.

 

Loki ignored the man until he turned off the faucet and had cleaned his face up with a napkin, somehow managing to look composed while doing so. "It was not pleasing. In fact, I think it might be one of the most horrible things this planet has to offer…. I swear if you try to kill me again, be it by car, food, or an offering of drinks, I will kill you." Loki narrowed his eyes and pointed a long slender finger at the other man. "And leave your head dangling on a pole on top of Stark Tower to shrivel in the sun for all to see."

 

During the small yet menacing tirade his assistant made, Tony managed to get past him and take the hot pot of coffee.

 

"Are you even listening to me?"

 

"I'm sorry, honey, you were saying?" Tony poured the hot coffee in his cup and carefully took a sip. "Mmmmm."

 

"I swear, Stark. If you—"

 

Tony rolled his eyes. "Yes, revenge and pain. Yada yada yada. Jarvis, have you ordered those breakfast doughnuts yet?"

 

"Yes, sir. And might I add that it seems as though your ten o'clock appointment is already waiting downstairs."

 

Tony had already finished his second cup and was now pouring his third that morning. "What kind of idiot arrives two hours early?"

 

"Steve Rogers, sir."

 

"Steve?" Tony took the coffee mug away from his lips. Why was the Captain here? He hadn't seen the guy in weeks.

 

Loki took the opportunity to take the coffee-filled cup away from Stark's grasp, emptying the contents into the sink. Stark looked dumbfounded at him. "The received scheduled states that at 10 a.m., you are to instruct Steve Rogers in the use of his laptop and cell phone. I advise you to combine this and hand the knowledge over to me as well."

 

Tony barely suppressed a scowl.  _Great. I have to teach two idiots where they can find the 'On' button. As if one wasn't enough._   "Okay, first of all, you do not take away my coffee,  _Highness_." Tony hastily grabbed the coffee pot. If he was lucky, it would still have one more cup in it. "Second, you do not waste any of my godly coffee. It is a crime against humanity to do so. And third, Iron Man loves his coffee, so don't piss him off."

 

"Sir, your doughnuts are in."

 

"Send 'em up, Jarvis."

 

Loki cut in. "Jarvis, tell Captain Rogers to bring them upstairs. We might as well get an early start."

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"You've got to be kidding me. You're going to spoil my morning like that."

 

"No, I will be using your time more efficiently instead of you just wasting it on eating and drinking."

 

"Hey! I do other stuff too. Just need the fuel, you know. Why am I even explaining myself to you? You stuck up ass." Tony took his cup of coffee and left for the living room. He sat back on the couch in the same spot as yesterday.  "And Captain America is not a delivery boy."

 

A resounding 'ping' made it clear that the elevator had stopped at the penthouse floor. A very happy and awake Steve Rodgers could be heard approaching. "Tony, I brought up your doughnuts," he said with great enthusiasm and earnestness.

 

Loki raised an eyebrow and shot Stark a glare.  Tony recognised it as the "Oh really, I beg to differ" look. He wondered if Pepper had instructed Locke in all her secret glares.

 

"Cap, this here is Locke. He's my new assistant and a pain in the ass. Locke, this is Steve Rogers."

 

Loki put on a normal smile and shook the hand of Steve Rogers firmly, just like any regular person might have done. "It is a pleasure to meet you, sir."

 

"Likewise, Locke. Do you have a last name?"

 

"Ladislav."

 

"Don't listen to him, Cap. And hand over my breakfast." Tony stood up and took the box of doughnuts away from Steve. He grabbed one eagerly and languidly took a bite from it while walking away. "Well, aren't you two lovebirds coming? I don't have all day."

 

Loki grinned slightly. "Actually, after checking your schedule for the day, it appears that you do indeed have all day. I took the liberty of cancelling your lunch with a girl named Nat or Kat. It was conflicting with the appointment you had with Steve."

 

"What! You cancelled Katrina? But—"

 

"No need to thank me, Stark. I am just doing my job."

 

Steve, who was oblivious to the tension, added in a compliment. "Wow, Tony. You finally found a decent assistant. Good for you."

 

"Yes, good for me." Tony grumbled and walked off to a large dining table. "Just put your laptop here and let's get this over with fast."

 

For Loki, it was fairly obvious how everything worked. He had dealt with technology in the past. Of course, the way he used it before was different. Handling devices right now would require more of his attention and thought than compared to before, when he could just gather information in easier ways. By the time Rogers finally grasped the idea of what he could do with a laptop, besides turning it on and off, let alone what vast kinds of information was available on it, Loki was already organising the schedule he had gotten from Pepper and was making slight adjustments where he deemed fit.

 

He looked across the table to where Stark was trying to explain in a very frustrated voice how Rogers could log in to see his emails. It seemed that as hard as it was for the man out of time to learn, it was equally difficult for Stark to teach him how anything worked without getting frustrated by the slow pace. Slowly, it was building up. Loki could see it. Any moment now Stark would snap at one of the country's most beloved heroes. This would most likely lower his worth in the eyes of his fellow Avengers.

 

But he did not. Every time Rogers got stuck on a little yet easily solvable issue, and frankly said that was quite often, Stark would help him no matter what, biting back the sarcastic comments and remarks about Captain America's difficulty with modern technology. He even managed to make Steve order them lunch online. He didn't, however, mention the fact that there was a small elevator to bring the food upstairs once it arrived. Instead, Steve Rogers went down to the ground floor to retrieve their lunch once it had been delivered.

 

"Well, how about that? He is a delivery boy," Tony said while stretching his cramped arms. He noticed that Locke was abnormally silent during everything he had explained. The man could not have been paying attention, yet he seemed oddly busy.

 

"Stark, stop staring at me."

 

"Is it bothering you, Highness? Good." Tony moved to stand behind Locke, wondering what the man had been up to this entire time. To his surprise, he actually seemed to be…working? "Scheduling's very exciting."

 

"Do not mock me, Stark. I am perfectly aware of my ability to mess up your schedule."

 

"Good god, my schedule! Oh no! I can't imagine ever going on without it."

 

"Tony, stop pestering your employees." Steve came barging out of the elevator carrying their lunch in a white plastic bag.

 

"I'm not pestering. Just discussing schedules with his Highness over here. Seems he is overly obsessed with what I do with my time."

 

"It is when you get drunk and hit people while driving under the influence."

 

"That's a low blow and you know it, Princess."

 

"Merely a true fact. My reason for being here is clearly because of your carelessness."

 

"Why did the hobo cross the road?"  _Mental facepalm, Tony. It is always a good idea to insult people about their previous lack of anything._  


 

"Are you implying this is my fault? Again."

 

"Ok guys…" Steve tried to cut in.

 

"I'm saying—"

 

"GUYS!" Steve finally had their attention. "Could you stop acting like ten-year-olds, please?"

 

Tony sighed, secretly thankful for Steve's interference. It seemed like Locke put him on edge without any effort -- anything they said to each other would result in childish fighting. "Yes, grandpa."

 

Loki considered not answering, but found it not to be an option. "Very well."

 

Steve put down the bag and gave everyone their food. He may be Captain America, but he was still nice guy Steve Rogers on the inside. Being bigger didn't change that. He knew Tony was flammable, but he had not expected to see two grown men bickering like children. If this continued, it might have become a full-blown food fight. What was his friend thinking? Locke hadn't done anything worth getting this riled up. Not that Steve ever knew what went on in Tony's head. Half of the time he was a riddle, much like the technology he used. The atmosphere at the table was ruthlessly silent. Locke was the one to break it.

 

"I suppose that there is no point in me remaining here. I will continue my work in my room." He closed his laptop and took it in his arms, covering the lid over the remainder of his food to carry along with him. "Rogers, I just want you to know that Stark's schedule for the next four days is clear during his mornings. Feel free to make use of this if you have any remaining questions concerning your learning of new technologies."

 

That bastard. Not that Tony did not like spending time with friends. Okay, that's a lie. He didn't like to spend time with anyone. He mostly preferred spending time on his own. It was just that he needed social interactions every now and then. That and he disliked being told what to do. The only one who ever got away with that was Pepper and he had reasons for that.

 

"Thank you, Locke. I will keep that in mind." Steve watched the man leave and then turned to face Tony. "This is too much, even for you. Why are you acting like this?"

 

Tony snapped out of his thoughts. How could he explain to Steve that he was acting purely on a feeling he had when the other man always tried to see the good in everyone? "Let's say…he brings out the worst in me?"

 

"That isn't true. You acted in a similar way when we met."

 

"Well, you brought out the worst in me too, goody two shoes."

 

Steve ignored Tony's comments. By now, he knew the man well enough to know his words were not meant to hurt. "Something is wrong, Tony. I'm a soldier. I notice when the posture of one of my men changes and yours was definitely on the defensive," he said, pointing in Tony's direction to emphasise his words.

 

"He tried to attack me at the hospital and before that I nearly killed him. I'd say I'm allowed to be on edge, Steve. So cut me some slack."

 

"Just try it, Tony, whatever it is that you are not trying or holding back right now."

 

_I'm not holding back anything._

 

"I mean, even you have to admit he seems to be a pretty darn good assistant. Compared to any previous ones."

 

Tony sighed and sat back down on his chair. "Okay, you are partially right about the assistant thing, but that doesn't mean I have to like him. He's still a stuck up ass."

 

"Never said that. Just have mutual respect for each other. Seriously, for a second I thought you two were going to throw food at each other."

 

"Really, Steve? I'd at least throw something a little harder than a sandwich."

 

"To use your own words, 'cut the man some slack.' Aside from what happened with the accident, who knows what he's had to deal with before. It's not easy living on the downside of society."

 

  
_Damn you, Steve, for using my own words against me_. "If I promise that I will try to not act like an ass—which in my defence, I am not—will you get off my back?"

 

"Only if—"

 

"Don't ask me to do something you know I'm not doing."

 

"Let's just get back to work. I'll try to talk more sense into you later." However, Steve knew that if Tony had said he'd give it a try, then that was probably as good of a response as he would get.

 

* * *

 

Loki had enough of his charade for one day, so he retreated to his chambers, if you could call his bedroom that. There was no real success made today besides learning a new way around Midgardian technology. He had to admit that it was an easy way to keep track of everything and the internet might prove interesting yet. Maybe it could be useful in further endeavours, provided it lived up to its name.

 

He still hated the feelings that Stark brought out in him. He had let the man get a rise out of him, almost resorting to childlike pranks. Steve Rogers was still an obnoxiously good and polite man, yet he could tolerate him much more than Stark who only angered him. Loki had no urgency to meet any of the other Avengers any time soon and he fervently hoped Thor would stay away. So far, nobody has been able to recognise him, but Thor certainly would. Spending hundreds of years in each other's company had its results and Thor was, unfortunately, not the stupid oaf he had been once before. Not that he had any noteworthy signs of intelligence -- he was just simply less of an idiot.

 

His leg itched from his walking cast. Just a few more days and he'd be able to get a check-up at the hospital to see if he could finally be rid of the crude obstruction that inhibited his movements, but right now, he was stuck with it. He could not even bathe decently with the damned thing. After entering his room and seeing the large bed, he noticed how tired he was yet again. It wouldn't hurt to lie down for just a moment, would it?  

 

After what felt like only an hour, Loki awoke in complete darkness. It covered him like a blanket without stars and the numbers on an alarm clock alerted him to a late hour - 12:24 A.M.  To think that sleep had drifted him so far that not even hunger had awoken him. He now felt he had to eat something and his mouth felt dry as well. It was best to leave his room and seek out water and nourishment.

 

He made a mental note to find decent food as there was a great lack of fresh fruits, vegetables, and decent fish or meat in Stark Tower. The only edible thing in the fridge was a half-eaten sandwich that belonged to Stark. He decided to take it along with a small bottle of water. The man would not miss it anyway.

 

It was too warm and damp inside the penthouse. The heat clung to him, making him feel dull. Perhaps it was best to go outside on the large balcony that overlooked the city. Being this high up meant that you could actually see the sky now and he missed seeing the black open vastness alight with tiny specks of stars. He stepped through the open glass doors, not bothering to wonder why they were open in the first place, and welcomed the slightly cooler air. He still found it too warm for his own liking, but at least the feel of the breeze rushing past his skin was pleasant. He closed his eyes for a moment to relish the comforting feel. As he opened them again he noted that not far from him Stark was sitting on the ground, holding a glass in his hand.

 

"You stole my sandwich," he said.

 

"You were not going to eat it anyway. The food would have been wasted," Loki replied haughtily.

 

"You're right. Have it. It would have ended up in the trash tomorrow anyway."   _Did Stark just give in?_  That was a first.

 

"Are you just going to stand there and stare, Highness? Sit your ass down on the floor," Tony said as he patted the concrete floor of the balcony. 

 

Loki obliged.  For now, he did not see any harm in sitting down, and oddly enough Stark agreed with him. Stark still seemed uncomfortable, but it seemed more as if he was holding something back. Loki looked at Stark's face and took in his expression, trying to read the frown forming on his face.

 

"You look odd," Tony said.

 

Stark's expression had not changed, though his frown had shifted and his eyes stared back at Loki questioningly.   _I look odd?_  Loki thought to himself.  _Now that is an understatement, particularly as I do not look like my former self at all._  


 

Tony looked at his assistant. Something was not right. He didn't receive any snarky reply back. He'd at least expected some retaliation from Locke, but the man seemed lost in thought. He took notice of Locke's reddish forehead and the sweat drops forming on it. It suddenly dawned on him that this guy had just been released from the hospital. He may have gotten a fever due to lack of attention to his health. Before Tony knew what he was doing, he placed a hand on Locke's forehead.

 

Loki, alarmed by the sudden touch, slapped Stark's hand away and jumped to his feet. "Don't touch me!"

 

Tony was getting ticked off again but, taking Steve's advice, he did not respond with a sarcastic comment. "You're burning up with a fever. You need medical attention." He told him, but he could see that Locke wasn't listening to him. Instead, the man was busy throwing a menacing glaring in his direction. "Locke?"

 

"Stay away from me, Stark."

 

"There are meds in the kitchen, somewhere. Pep might've put some in your bathroom, too."  

 

Loki did listen to him the second time and a sign of realisation crossed his face when he stood up. "I will take my leave now."

 

Tony watched Locke leave the balcony, carrying himself rather gracefully for a man from the street who was carrying a high fever. A shiver spread across his spine as Tony was reminded of the man who haunted his dreams.

 

On the other side of the penthouse, Loki found suitable medication for his condition. He lay back down on his bed, trying to gain some rest and peace of mind. He was angry again, this time not only with Stark, but at himself, too. Before he pulled away from the man's touch, he had had another reaction.

 

He'd savoured the touch of Stark's cool hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for reading ,following or faving this story,really guys i love you.
> 
> Don't forget to leave a review (aka food for the soul).
> 
> ways, thank you sinister banana and swordmisstress for being my betas


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Tony and Loki avoided each other over the next several days. The only times they spoke to or saw one another was during breakfast or the occasional times they had to work together. They did end up falling into a routine for breakfast, however. Tony would make his idea of coffee early in the morning or late in the night, depending on his sleeping pattern, and would try to get Locke to drink it, or rather, to like it. Since the purest black form did not seem to be to his assistant's taste, Tony decided that he would make Locke need coffee. It was his idea of a peace offering toward the man in the morning, even if it meant doing the sacrilegious act of adding sugar or milk to the heavenly black elixir.

So far, Tony had only tried adding sugar, one or two teaspoons, but the coffee still produced the same unwanted effect from Locke. He couldn't be sure about it, but Tony silently swore the look on Locke's face was that of somewhat lesser disgust, so he kept trying adamantly to make the man need his morning coffee. Steve would probably be proud of Tony for continuing to try and not giving up.

Today, Tony was going to try milk, a daring attempt for a coffee purist like him. He figured that adding cold milk to a hot beverage would collide too much in temperature for it to have a good taste, so right now, he was waiting for the milk to warm while mulling over how much he needed to pour in the coffee. Tony heard a shuffling sound from the direction of the hallway and Locke entered into view, looking visibly uncomfortable as he walked in his cast. Tony learned from prior days that talking to Locke before he'd had a drink or some food in his system would result in silent dark glares. Locke was definitely not a morning person any more than Tony. Tony figured it was all the more reason to get him addicted to coffee, especially since he really seemed to be stuck with the guy.

Pepper had made his assistant's work contract and Tony read it thoroughly, looking for some sort of loophole, but he could find none. Unless Locke did something to breach the stipulations of the contract—and annoying as it was to admit, aside from being a stuck-up prick, Locke was a pretty decent assistant—he was stuck with him. Tony cursed Pepper's efficiency.

The milk was almost done and Tony swore he could feel the boring stare of the other man at his back. He tried not to let it get to him and started pouring the milk into Locke's coffee cup. He placed the cup of cream-coloured coffee in front of his assistant, who gave him a sceptical look in return, but picked up the mug nonetheless and held it in his hands. Locke smelled the coffee first before bringing it to his lips to taste. As he took one sip, Tony waited for the response.

The normal reaction of utter disgust didn't surface. Tony lifted an eyebrow. "Well?"

"Well what, Stark? Morning is no excuse to avoid complete sentences."

At least Locke was talking. That was as an improvement. "How's the coffee, Highness?"

Loki still hated Stark's use of the nickname, but he had ceased his attempts to get the man to stop calling him that. It only resulted in worse names to be called, like "Princess" or "King of the Hobos." He really had to hold back on the last one, too. His fingers had itched with the urge to strangle Stark. Loki sat there and eyed his hot drink for a moment as if he contemplating his verdict. "I must confess, it is not as bad as earlier. I fear I'm growing…used to its taste."

Tony shouted a mental Yes! in his mind and a wide grin appeared on his face to claim the tiny victory. "I knew it! There's no way any person can deny the greatness that is my coffee. For Christ's sake, it's the nectar of the gods, all thanks to me." Tony felt that stare again piercing him from across the table.

Locke took another sip of the coffee as he kept his eyes on Tony, a look of burning annoyance crossing his features. "Stark, you talk too much in the morning."

Tony's mood was not ruined at all by his assistant's snarky comment. He was still basking in his win. "Still cranky, I see. Don't worry, the coffee will fix it."

"I do not need to be fixed."

"Oh, come on, Highness. You act like you have permanent PMS. Just drink some coffee and be a normal person."

A grim look crossed Loki's face and the smile on Tony's faded as the atmosphere turned bleak. "I will never be a normal person, Stark."

"Yeah, yeah. I get it. You're special," Tony snarked, with a dismissive hand gesture. "But for fuck's sake, live a little. I can't stand dealing with all your shit every day."

Loki hissed. "It is not your shit to endure! Do not speak of things of which you obviously have no knowledge."

"The hell it isn't!," Tony responded, leveling a matching glare at his assistant. "You live here, so it definitely is shit I have to deal with, especially when I'm constantly around that attitude of yours. Trust me, if I had my way, you'd be long gone by now."

"But you're not getting your way, are you?" Loki stood up and eyed him. "Face it, Stark. For now, I am here to stay. And yes, I do have shit 'to deal with,' most of which has been caused by you." He pressed his finger into Stark's shoulder, putting extra emphasis in his words. "If it were up to me," he hissed in a low, dark voice, "I would never be in this position. If it were up to me, I would be comfortable making my own way." He pressed hard enough against Stark to leave a bruise, the small act only fueling his ire. "But no, because rambling idiots like you always interfere and royally fuck up my life, I'm left to pick up the pieces and restore order and balance."

Most people would have turned their head at the start of his rant. Not many would have dared to stare back into the eyes of a man raving with such anger, but Tony was not most people. He was used to facing things far worse than an angry assistant. He looked into Locke's eyes the entire time the man spoke and even after he finished. Whatever emotions Locke had kept hidden from everyone had poured out in a heated, venomous voice laced deep with hatred. One of his eyebrows had contorted in anger and his bed hair and beard only added to the menacing look. But hidden emotions lingered in those eyes, a sadness familiar to Tony and one not meant for others to see. Perhaps Locke himself did not even realize it. Tony recognised that perhaps he had just seen something in Locke that others had ignored. Bob had been right in punching him. The bruise on his face was now almost faded, just a slight discoloration pinpointed its location and it didn't even hurt. Locke, however, was still a wounded man in more ways than one. Tony knew he had fucked up again.

Loki's heated rant cooled to ice, clipped and frosty. "Your day, Stark, consists of work. At 2 o'clock, you have a meeting with Bruce Banner. The driver will pick you up and I urge you to not be late. Doing so will have consequences." Loki walked away after this statement, clenching his fists to contain the anger that threatened once again to overflow.

Loki closed the door to his room and sank onto his bed, running his hands through his hair. Too many emotions ran amok through his body, each fighting for dominance and control: anger, hatred, sadness, and even a sense of relief cried out. His mind screamed at him to do something – break things, throw things, cry and scream. Humans experienced everything so differently.  _He_  experienced everything so differentl now and it was a challenge of extreme patience and strength of will to not let these newfound sensations get the best of him. But even when he vied for control, his humanity would rear its ugly head and make him feel things as though he were under a magnifying glass. It was happening more frequently, triggered by small things or comments that wouldn't have made him so much as bat an eyelash before.

There was also the lingering disquiet surrounding the comforting feel of Stark's hand on his forehead earlier and his body's reaction to it. He'd wanted to lean in to that cold touch. For just a moment, he had wanted to savour that contact.

This was the second time in his life that he truly felt lost and he held no fond memories of the first. He felt compelled to take a form of action and be rid of this…thing, this unsettling feeling . He punched his nightstand, causing his knuckles to hurt as soon as he hit the wood. He yelled out, "I hate you!" to no one in particular. Just like after his little speech in the kitchen, he felt oddly relieved after letting everything out. It seemed like bottling things inside and trying to keep his emotions at bay only worsened them to the point of explosion. How very human.

He wanted to get out of Stark Tower and it seemed that his appointment at the hospital would take care of that, though he would have to dress soon and leave or he'd be late. He washed his injured hand under the faucet in the bathroom and took another look at "his" face. In the month he had spent here, his hair had grown considerably. He reminded himself that he needed to do something to get rid of the hair on his chin, too.

 

* * *

 

Locke sat in the back of one of Stark's many vehicles and looked out the window. Outside, it looked like a perfect day, with the right temperature and clear sunny skies overhead. The streets were busy with people walking around, being merry. Loki thought it was a sickening idea that a sunny day could give the inhabitants of this city such a communal feeling of joy and so eagerly steered in a specific direction.

They…we…are foolish creatures.

He started recognising the surroundings outside the vehicle. The car slowed down, stopping in front of the hospital.

"Sir, we are here." The driver held the door open for him, something he could get used to in this world.

He stepped out of the car and surveyed the area. Things already seemed different from his previous stay. "This should not require much time. I ask you to wait for my return."

"Of course. I'll see you soon, sir." Being waited on was nice, even if the servants did not like you or only did so because of your status, instead of from respect. The glass doors to the hospital slid open and Loki moved toward the reception desk, where one of the clerks instantly recognised him.

"Oh! You must be Mr. Ladislav. The doctor will see you upstairs in ten minutes. Just take the elevator to the third floor and head toward your old room."

He briefly wondered how she knew who he was. He had no recollection of her from before. "I will heed your advice. Thank you." It would be wasteful to not act kindly in this building, especially when one never knows what the future will hold. The receptionist gave him a kind and friendly smile as he nodded and went on his way. Perhaps she was one of the nurse's friends who had contributed to his gift basket when he was bedridden. What was that nurse's name again? Samantha? No… _Sandy_.

Upon arriving in his former room, he concluded that everything was exactly as he had left it. Even the file holding his medical records was in the same spot. He vaguely wondered if Miss Potts had anything to do with this when the door opened.

"Ah, I see you're already here, Mr. Ladislav. Just sit down. The nurse will be here soon to assist me." The doctor reached for Loki's medical records as he sat down on the bed. "Ready to get that cast off?"

Loki faked a smile. "As ready as ever."  _You fool._

A shrill, excited voice came from the doorway. "Locke! Oh, I'm so glad to see you're doing well."

Great.

"Sandy, it's good to see you too," Loki lied through his teeth. "Considering my state, I would say that I am doing fairly well."

"That's good to hear. Well, let's get you out of this now." She rolled up his trousers to just above his knee and took a pair of heavy, blunt scissors. "Your leg may feel a bit odd once this is off, just to warn you."

The moment the scissors snapped shut and made the first cut in the cast, fresh air hit his skin, releasing it of its bound state. His skin tingled, but not unpleasantly, and when she had finished making a long cut he wiggled his toes. After a few more cuts, the cast came off fully and Loki welcomed the feeling of being free. His joy was severely disturbed, however, by Sandy, who had the audacity to caress his leg where the cast had once been.

"Everything looks alright. No bruising or scratch marks." She smiled at him and blushed. "You've healed up nicely, Locke."

By the nine this was not happening!  _Let go of my leg you dumb wench_. She didn't and let her fingers linger a bit more, drawing a half circle with her thumb and pretending to inspect something. Loki decided her behaviour must cease immediately. "Think I can stand again?" he asked the doctor suddenly, rolling down the leg of his trousers before the nurse could find the chance to fondle him again.

The doctor replied, "Of course. The cast was there as an aid and preventive measure. Just don't start running marathons." He motioned to Loki. "Go ahead. Walk around the room and let me know if anything feels off."

Loki stretched his leg before letting both feet touch the floor. He took a tentative step forward but, aside from his foot turning cold from the tiles, there were no additional effects. He walked around and concluded that he was, in fact, properly healed.

The doctor smiled. "Well, that's it. You're a free man again, Ladislav. I hope we won't have to see you again anytime soon." The doctor then stood up to exit the room, leaving Loki alone with the nurse.

Loki started to put on his socks and fasten his shoes in the hopes that Sandy would understand the hint. Unfortunately for him, she had her own thoughts about the matter. She shuffled nervously as if wanting to ask something. "Yes? Do you want to say something?" he queried.

She played with her fingers as she tried to find the correct words. "I was wondering…" she took a deep breath, "if you would like to go on a date with me?"

He did not need to think twice about his answer. thoughts. "Sorry, I do not date  _your kind_." I do not date humans.

"Oh…" Disappointment rang evident and clear in her voice. Then, to his surprise, she giggled. " _Ooooooh._ "

_What?_  Loki raised an eyebrow. This was an unexpected reaction.

"Dammit. I'm so sorry for misunderstanding. I made a complete ass of myself, didn't I?"

_You still are._

"I'll be on my way then. Bye, Locke." She waved at him cheerfully and mumbled something about it always being the good ones. Loki had no clue as to what had just transpired or the meaning behind Sandy's words.

After his visit to the hospital, Loki had taken the time to gather new garments and the business suit Miss Potts said he needed. She had sent his measurements to the clothing store earlier and now he just had to find what he needed and write down the reference numbers of the selected items. The tailor was chatty. Loki ignored the man and his questions about what it must be like to work for the great "Iron Man." But after enough suffering, the incessant chatter finally came to an end. The day had passed more slowly than anticipated and the sun was already starting to set as colours filled the sky. The ride back took longer than necessary due to traffic being jammed everywhere, causing their route home to become obstructed.

As he sat in the car waiting to get back to Stark Tower, watching the colours of the sky change from blue to warmer oranges and magenta, Loki was still thinking about his situation with Sandy at the hospital. He had refused her offer, so her initial reaction of disappointment was expected. However, her reason for joy eluded him and he set his mind on finding out the answer. He could not ask Stark and he did not want to ask his driver. Potts was likely unavailable, plus she would probably say that he ought to know these things already.

It suddenly hit him as he was looking at the numbers programmed on his phone.  _Jarvis_. The A.I. seemed impartial, rational, and willing to answer any question so he dialled the button for Jarvis.

"Sir, is there something with which you need assistance?"

"Yes, actually. I find myself in a situation I cannot comprehend."

There was a short silence before Jarvis' reply. "I often find myself in similar circumstances."

Loki started explaining what happened with Sandy at the hospital, starting with her advances and ending with her waving goodbye. He even gave Jarvis a detailed explanation of her reactions.

Jarvis' voice sounded more monotone than normal in his reply, as if the A.I. had to bite back a laugh. "She believed you to be gay, sir."

"What!"

"A gay man, sir."

Loki remained silent and because Jarvis could not see his reaction he answered for a third time. "Homosexual, as in attracted to the same gender."

The sound of laughter interrupted the silence and Jarvis was promptly cut off.

 

* * *

 

 

"What did you do this time, Tony?"

That was first thing Pepper asked when she saw him. No "Hey Tony, how are you?" or "Hey, how are you holding up with that assistant I forced on you?" Nice.

"Who says I've done anything noteworthy, besides saving some lives and the city? Because yes, that is something worth mentioning. Oh, and I looked gorgeous while doing it." He grinned broadly. "It's all part of my natural charm, Pep."

"You know that's not what I mean." She crossed her arms,  _giving Tony that look._

Tony shrugged, avoiding her gaze. "Then no, there's nothing worth mentioning."

"What about Locke?" A moment of short silence on Tony's side was all Pepper needed to know that something had gone down between them. Whatever it was had caused Tony to hesitate in his normally speedy answers. What had happened? Last week had been unusually silent. Neither of them had called to complain to her. Tony probably didn't say anything only because he knew he couldn't charm his way out of this predicament.

Tony gave her bright brown puppy eyes. "It hurts my feelings that you don't ask about my well-being first, Pep."

"Oh, cut it out!" Did Tony look slightly guilty or was her imagination running wild? She sighed, wondering what type of damage control would need to be done this time. "What happened?"

"Nothing, really. He's an okay assistant, I guess. Ask Steve. I'm glad. He'll tell you that."  _Damn bastard assistant had the guts to cancel my date._

Pepper raised an eyebrow in further questioning. "And?"

He could not tell her the full truth. He could tell her about the anger, the fight, and the words tossed between them, sure, but he couldn't tell her about the feelings he had seeing Locke's torn eyes. He simply shrugged again and shook his head dismissively. "We disagreed. Nothing special."

She sighed, knowing that it was a loss to try and get more out of him. She took a small stack of papers and handed them over. "Apologise," she said and then she released the documents in his hands, hoping that her intentions were clear.

He checked the papers briefly. She never made mistakes, but he felt like giving the papers a once over would clear his mind a bit. "Yes, Pep. And afterward we'll have hot, steamy, make-up sex like all the other normal couples," he said lightly, but it actually came out slightly bitter.

"Stop trying to cover things up with humour, Tony. I'm too used to that from you."

"I'm dead serious, Pep. See? I'm not laughing in the slightest." He held a stern face while telling her this. "This is my serious face. You've seen it before. I am very serious."

"As am I, Tony. Goodbye."

"Yeah…" He got into the car, trusting that Happy knew where to go.

His comment might have been funny, if there wasn't an inch of truth to some of the words. He still denied most of whatever he felt, but it kept creeping out slowly, looking around the corner, waiting for a moment of weakness. He remembered Locke's reactions a few days ago when he'd touched his forehead, trying to check for a fever. The man had flinched back angrily and looked confused. At that moment, those clear blue eyes had reminded him of someone else, a person he was adamant on purging from his mind, but the thoughts remained intact as both a blessing and a curse. Nevertheless, he'd found himself admiring those bright blue eyes in that moment. For the first time, a small shiver crept up his spine that was not caused by the man before him.

_Loki._

Thoughts of a previous dream filled his mind with vivid flashes of imaginary moments spent in the hold of that man.

_God…_

"Fuck." He put down the documents besides him, taking a deep breath, and regained his composure. He needed his mind on the right track and off this highway to hell. He needed something to cause enough of a diversion and entertainment for him to sleep without being haunted – teased – by dreams and visions. He should call Nat. Their previous "date" had been cancelled, if you could call getting a laid a date, but he was sure he could convince her to reschedule for tonight. She'd be the perfect bedtime snack.

"Jarvis."

"I am currently unavailable, sir."

"What? Are you leaving me too? This world is so cruel." Tony rolled his eyes at the injustice of the day.

"I am resolving a matter for Mr. Ladislav."

"Locke? What the hell. Why would he need you? I thought that smart ass knew everything."

"No man knows all, sir." Jarvis emphasized the word man.

"Yeah, and I bet you do? I should have given you a lower IQ."

"It must be terribly frustrating to you that I always do such an excellent job. I further advise you not to listen in on other people's private conversations."

"Don't sass me, Jarvis. Now put the conversation on audio. I want to hear this."  _It better be good._

Locke's voice drifted out of the speakers. "I rejected her advances, so clearly her saddened reaction was expected. But…"

_Wait a minute. Girls actually like this guy? Enough to ask him out? Dear God, this world is going mad_. He continued listening to the conversation between his A.I. and his surly assistant.

"But I never expected her second reaction. She started giggling and I found myself wondering where I went wrong, since I know my reply was accurate."

_God, who even talks like this nowadays?_

"Whatever I said must have made her happy because as she waved farewell she said…"

_This better be good. I could use a distraction._

"It's always the good ones." Locke's confusion was evident in his voice.

_Wait, what?_  "Jarvis, did he really just say what I think he did? Oh god, he totally did!" Tony grinned. This guy was really dense.

It was probably a good thing Tony had never programmed Jarvis to actually sigh. "Sir, I think it would be unwise to mingle in this."

"Oh hell no. I could eat popcorn while listening to this."

Jarvis chose to ignore him further. Tony Stark never listened to him and he knew that he would later regret the given advice. So he gave Locke his answer, "She believed you to be gay, sir."

"What!" Tony heard Locke reply. He could picture the look of confusion on the man's face.

"A gay man, sir."

The laugh that started to form in Tony's throat suddenly subsided. Jarvis' voice now seemed to be aimed not only at Locke but to Tony as well.

"Homosexual, as in attracted to the same gender."

Tony should not have pictured Locke's puzzled expression. He should not have even pictured his face at all. He should have listened to Jarvis, the voice of reason that he always chose to ignore. But then, bright laughter came from the speakers and interrupted the silence. He didn't get the chance to curse Jarvis or himself. Locke's laugh was melodious and beautiful and Tony was immediately tempted to think of the how the lips producing that laughter would feel pressed against his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel or the Avengers or anything remotely awesome.
> 
> Except my car, my books, and other stuff inside my home.
> 
> Thank you find readers, followers and favoriters for taking the time to read my story
> 
> Don't forget to leave a review, there food for the soul^^
> 
> Last but not least, thank you sinister Banana and swordmisstress for being my betas


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Tony called his earlier cancelled "date." Natalie—Nat, or whatever that woman's name was—eagerly accepted the opportunity to meet up with him.  _She'd be a fool to_   _turn me down_. Women always came easily to him. It never ceased to amaze Tony of his ability to find willing bed partners with just a snap of his fingers. He was like a bright, radiating light and they were the moths helplessly attracted to him. They gave him their bodies, their kisses, and their unwanted shallow advances. They left him satisfied in one way and they sated some of his hungers, but they always left him feeling empty. Their transparent, superficial love was always unwelcome. That was only meant for the man they saw, the man that had charms, looks, and money. He'd given them a short moment of bliss and that was enough. Sex was all he was willing to give and take. By morning, he always wanted the women out of his tower.

He did not want to face Locke at home, at least not today. Tony knew he had to face his assistant eventually; you can't share the same kitchen and not run into each other. But right now, he needed to get something out his system and he refused to accept a certain attraction that had kept him distracted recently. So he had made the mistake of inviting "Nat" for dinner and now he was suffering from his bad decision. She chatted away about all sorts of meaningless things. A pretend look of interest sat on his face. Pepper would have seen right through it. Even Locke would have…

 _Damn you, Tony! Stop using your brain for once_. Tony suppressed a sigh at his rotten luck.  _Thank god she's pretty at least._

Nat had blue eyes with long lashes and long hair in the unnatural blonde colour that so many women seemed to possess. And legs, dear God, her legs reached endless lengths. And soon they will wrap around me. Her mindless talk continued and he was eternally grateful when the waiter brought them their food. It wasn't because of hunger. He simply feared that his head might pop and explode if he had to listen to anymore of her shit.

"Another bottle of champagne, please." Tony smiled at her and gave a wink. In return, she giggled.

"Oh, Tony, you are so kind."

 _No, I just need a drink. Perhaps you'll be more alluring with alcohol in my veins._  As if the waiter understood his need, a fresh cold bottle soon appeared. The good man poured it into their glasses while taking the already empty one from the wine cooler. Very efficient.  _That man deserves a good tip_. Tony raised his glass. "A toast to dinner, so dig in." He drank half the glass before hers had even touched her red-painted lips.

Before there was time to finish his drink and refill the glass, she cut in, "May all our dreams come true." A bright, wide smile, full of white bleached teeth, was on her face as she said this. Tony nearly choked on his drink, but pretended nothing happened and started cutting into his steak.

He enjoyed the food. The meat was succulent and well-seasoned. There weren't too many vegetables as sides either. This blonde woman, however, barely touched her food and the salad she ordered wasn't much to begin with - just a few green leaves mixed with a motley combination of other vegetables. There were small pieces of bacon tossed in, which she meticulously plucked out, removing them from the greenery.  _What a waste. Bacon deserves better treatment than that._

Dinner was finished in relative silence with only the occasional chatter about current news items and other similarly boring subjects that failed to hold Tony's interest. The same dark-haired waiter returned, cleaning their table and removing the empty plates. "Would you like dessert?" he asked.

"Ooooh, yes please! Do you have anything with—"

Tony cut her off. "No, we wouldn't. You guys know where to send the bill, don't you?"

"But Toonnnyyy." His date pouted in what Tony was sure she thought was an attractive way, but failed miserably to his eyes.

 _God, woman, stop whining. Why did I ever think this was a good idea?_ He rolled his eyes. _Reminder to myself to never take one-night stands to dinner. It's not worth it. I bet Locke would find this whole situation rather amusing. He'd probably laugh…_

_Fuck._

"You'll get your dessert," he commented, smiling smoothly at her as he got up from his chair. "Just not here." They left the place swiftly, hurrying to the car. Tony walked with the will to purge a certain thought from his mind, as if he could outrun his demons, and Nat—or was it Kat?—with the idea of sleeping with the one and only Tony Stark. He hoped she had the decency to be gone from his bed by morning.

The alcohol had done its work though. He felt a comfortable numbing buzz at the back of his head telling him everything was fine. His remark about dessert had worked wonders and there was a silence full of heated anticipation in the car. The blue eyes of the young woman next to him roamed his stature in both question and appreciation. Slowly, she shifted in her leather car seat and the hem of her black dress slid up an inch as her left leg brushed against his. Subtlety was obviously not something she practiced. It was evident in her eyes and her actions what she desired from him.

Tony smirked. Her way of seduction was crude and fast. She was years too young to understand the excruciating slow play of words, eyes, and soft touches like he did. Not that it mattered. Right now, he had no patience for a slow seduction. Tonight, all he craved was her soft body around his and the distraction of her warm flesh. He leaned toward her when the car slowed down, knowing this was their stop. He whispered in her ear, "You'll get your dessert very soon." Even without touching her, he was able to draw a soft sound from her lips. Her breath hitched in unison with her rapidly blushing face.

Their current play continued in the elevator, where slow tunes played in the background, elevating the mood slightly. Tony did not bother with idle talk as he placed his hand on the back of her neck, pulling her towards him and catching her fire engine red mouth. The kiss wasn't soft, but lustful and needy. She knew what she wanted and slid her mouth open, letting her tongue slowly tease his bottom lip. Her hands reached along his sides and up to the back of his neck where she dug her brown-polished nails into his short hair. Tony deepened the kiss and invaded her mouth, taking control. He flipped them so that her back pressed against the elevator wall, her lust-filled lips never leaving his, but only craving more and more. Long fingernails travelled down his spine, scratching his skin.

A ' _ping_!' sound interrupted them, signaling their arrival at the penthouse. She followed Tony out of the elevator, giving a loud giggle of joy at her surroundings.  _Please shut up! I don't need him to wake up._

Her arms clung around him in a sudden embrace and she kissed him on the cheek. Shit.  _She's way too affectionate for my tastes. At least she stopped talking but—_

"Tony, your house is wonderful!" She exclaimed, eyes wide as she looked.

 _Great, it's getting to her head_. "Yes, I expect nothing less for myself." He went towards the bar without her, hoping he could shut up this chatterbox with another drink or at least get a drink himself.

He was pouring a glass of scotch when she came up from behind and nibbled on his ear. "I'm ready for that dessert now," she murmured. Her voice was sweet and filled with lust. Her hands moved down his body and he let her.

_Finally, a good idea from you._

"But first…"

_No! You don't need firsts._

Teasingly, her hand reached further down along the hem of his pants. "First, I need to go to the bathroom."

_You cruel bitch._

He did not make his dissatisfaction known. "It's in the hallway on the left side of the elevator. Be quick." He was left alone to finish his golden-coloured drink at the bar. This woman was letting things get to her head and invading his personal space with her unwanted affections. Those did not belong in this scenario; they were not lovers, just merely bed partners for a night. Why women always thought they would be able to get more from him than others did was a mystery of the female kind. They all knew—hell, everybody knew—his reputation and tastes in bed. Settling down was not involved. It was mindboggling as to why some of them still tried their weak attempts to "win" him over. He shook his head.

His scotch glass was now empty. Her leave was taking far too long for his liking, so he began to walk towards the hallway. She'd better be ready. He needed her now and not in an hour, when the alcohol would start to wear off. His eyes snapped open in dread as he heard a voice coming from the hallway.

"Who are you and what are you doing here? This is my private domain."

This was followed by a whiny voice calling out to him. "Tony!" Tony groaned and rolled his eyes.  _Great, just great._

"I do not take kindly to wailing women especially if they interrupt my sleep."

 _Yep. Tonight was going so well, how could things get any more perfect than this?_  Tony's mood plummeted as his frustration grew.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to, but, who are you anyway? And, Tony, where are you?" Nat's voice was rising with panic.

"I believe I was first in asking a question.  _Now, answer me_." Tony recognised the tone in Locke's voice. He was clearly irritated and he could not blame the man for it. Nat was irritating, gorgeous, but irritating.

"She's with me." Tony turned the corner, entering the hallway where his one-night stand was trying to have an impossible discussion with his— Tony's brain yelled for an immediate shut down at the sight. All regular functions seemed to stop and he could do nothing but stare at the image before him.

Locke seemed like a stranger compared to his appearance earlier that morning. He had a clean, freshly-shaven face; all traces of the scruffy beard were gone from the man's visage and his blonde hair was cut shorter. The half-long hairs hung just above his shoulders, framing the definitively manly yet beautiful face.  _God…fuck, I did not just think that._

Locke narrowed his eyes, feeling uncomfortable under Stark's gaze. "Explain," he ordered.

"You washed your hair."  _What the hell, Tony. Get your shit together._

"Obviously. What is this feeble tramp doing here? I was sleeping and she dared to wake me with her noises of glee." Derision practically dripped from the word.

Nat remained silent, either impressed or threatened by the glare she was receiving from the blonde man. "Locke, this is the date you cancelled a few days back. Nat, this is Locke, my assistant."

Of course, this woman chose that particular moment to interrupt as she tried to defend herself in vain. "I am not a tramp!"

Locke raised an eyebrow. "You certainly look like one with your dress running up and your painted lips smeared. Or, pray tell me, is this the new way of dressing with elegance?" Derision level: rising.

She stuttered her response. "Y-You jerk! Tony! Do something!"

"Cease your whining, woman!" Locke growled. "You don't actually think he cares for you? He cares only as much as you care about his wellbeing and life."

"Hey! I care! Tony is—"

"Spare me your lies. You are far too transparent to try doing that."

It was like watching two cats fight and the big, hissing one was winning. Tony realised he had to get them to stop before they started demolishing the curtains. "Ok, now kittens. Stop fighting."

"See?" Nat spat petulantly at Locke, smirking. "He calls me a kitten, so he does care."

Tony had to put an end to this before the girl got anymore disillusioned. The situation was already getting out of hand and he might as well make the clean break now. "No, I don't care."

She looked at him with wide eyes. "But…you took me on a date."

"Yep, my mistake. I was just hungry. Now be a doll and get back into the living room or—"

"Leave right now," Locke commanded, aggravation ringing clearly in his voice as he interrupted Stark's sentence. He did not want this annoying woman in his presence any longer. His slumber would not be intruded upon for such a pathetic reason. If Stark thought he could leave the girl remaining anywhere in his vicinity, he was dreadfully wrong. She simply stood there, mouth agape, looking like a lamb ready for slaughter. Something told him that even this one had to annoy Stark to a certain degree.

"No, she doesn't have to leave," Tony said directly. He actually wanted her to stay.

Locke looked menacingly at the blonde woman for forcing herself upon his domain. "She is leaving."

"I…I will leave…" She was already retreating toward the elevator under Locke's effective and penetrating glare. "Tony, call me when he is gone, please? Bye."

Tony sighed heavily. _No, I won't call you. There are better fish in the sea_. "Locke, what the hell! You ruined my night again, cockblocker."

Loki stared back at him, the same menacing look still present even in his sleep-filled eyes. "If your companion were capable of decent silence or respect, I might have let her stay. It is not my fault that you brought such a lowly woman here. Surely even you must have doubts of her character. Now leave me be! I want to go back to sleep."

Tony could not help it. His frustration demanded a reply. "One, yes, she was horrible."  _Please, please stop looking at me._  "Two, I don't care. I just wanted sex." He noticed Locke's glare diminishing. A look of tiredness washed over the man's face as he clearly tried to stifle a yawn.  _That was kind of cu…Stop looking at him, Tony._  "Three, for the love of God, please stop cancelling these kinds of dates in my agenda just to annoy me."

Loki sighed. Why did humans go to such lengths trying to find sexual relief, even going so far as to wake him up from a pleasant slumber between soft blankets? Not to mention, Stark had been staring at him throughout the whole ordeal as if the situation itself wasn't enough. Really, he had shaved, washed, and cut his hair. What was so special about that? He stared back, trying to discern the different facial expressions on the brown-haired man before him. Frustration and confusion were the most evident in his brown eyes, but there was something else too, lingering along the edges. Loki could not put a name on it nor could he look away. Something in Stark's eyes held him captive.

Tony, on the other hand, saw Locke's demeanour change after his "date" left. His authority sunk low again and tiredness washed over the man's body. His gait now was almost calm and serene, with only his eyes remaining ever vigilant and observing. "Go back to bed, Locke."

Loki was indeed tired and wanted to sleep more than anything else, but to be told to go to bed like an infant? That was a step too far. "Do not tell me what to do, Stark." Even tired, Locke's voice held a commanding power.

"Stop twisting my intentions." Tony sighed, running a hand over his face. This was not how he wanted the night to go.

"Your intentions are to get rid of me."

"Yes…no."  _Which one is it, Tony?_  "Just go to bed, Locke. It's obvious you need sleep."

Tiredness dissipated from his assistant's face only to be replaced by a frown. Loki moved toward him and spoke threateningly. "You are still telling me what to do, Stark."

Tony backed off, not from fear but by another thought that crossed his mind. The way the man danced in front of him with his rather endearing tired look and threatening posture was… _arousing_. "I'm not…it's just that…"  _Oh screw this._

"That what, Stark!" The lingering emotion had risen in the inventor's eyes and Loki stared back, his own blue orbs gleaming with the chance to discover what it was. Slowly, he recognised the dull flame of desire staring lustily back at him from Stark's brown irises. He backed away from Stark by a footstep, asking himself one question.  _Why? That woman already left._

That was when Tony Stark's actions spoke louder than words.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading everybody! i hope you guys will always love this story.
> 
> Don't hesitate to leave some soul-food ( reviews)
> 
> lots of love, i dreamdragon
> 
> last but not least, thanks to sinister banana and swordmisstress for beta reading
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers or Marvel.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> disclaimer: i do not awn marvel or the avenger.

**Chapter 13**

Maybe it was the alcohol running through his system, or maybe he'd reached a limit and was no longer capable of being in denial. Whatever it was, Tony Stark foolishly, but hopefully, acted on the raging emotions telling him to just reach out and grab the thing he wanted.

_This may be my worst idea yet._

A flash of recognition shone brightly in Locke's blue eyes and he began to back away. However, it was not nearly enough to keep a determined Tony Stark at bay. Before the tall blonde man had any chance to put more distance between them, Tony had already resorted to action. Like a deer in headlights, Loki was frozen to the spot, unable to stop Stark from defiling his human body. The hand of the shorter brown-haired inventor grabbed the back of his head, pulling him closer until surprisingly soft lips reached his own. He found Stark's kiss to be gentle, soft, and not entirely unpleasant. The slight tingling sensation felt… _enjoyable_. Fortunately for Loki, the sensation did not last long, for those lips on his were already removing themselves.

Tony stood dumbfounded. The screams, kicks, and punches he half-heartedly expected from Locke did not come. His hand still lingered in the smooth, blonde locks of the other man as he ended the kiss between them. Stormy blue eyes looked at him in confusion and questions ran amok in those deep pools of emotion; a lesser man than Tony might have drowned in them. Silence hung heavy in the air as their verbal warfare remained unusually absent and heated anger stayed out of those beautiful blue eyes. Tony moved again, deciding that this opportunity should not be wasted and that Locke's lips were made to be kissed by him.

Loki was lost and disappointed in himself for thinking Stark's lips had felt soft. He simultaneously felt relieved that the caring touch removed itself from his flesh even while missing the feeling it gave him. Too late, he caught sight of warm brown orbs shimmering with new resolve and he could not find the will to stop their owner from repeating their previous actions.

This time, Stark's mouth crashed against his roughly with all the passion their previous meeting had missed. Another hand was added to the back of his head, pulling him in tight for a heated kiss. A tongue raked slowly along his lips, moistening them while teasingly demanding for more and more. If Loki's human body had any say in the matter, it gladly complied with the inviting request. Like with anger, the feeling that was setting course through his limbs and veins made his heartbeat elevate. His response came without thinking and was brought on purely by a small flame sprung out in a flare. A small bite and nibble pulled his bottom lip and hands tugged his hair gently, but demandingly. Much to his shame, the blue-eyed ex-god could not still the barely audible moan that fell from his mouth.

Tony could not believe his stroke of luck after such a bad day. He felt the resonance of Locke's moan course throughout his body, adding fuel to the fire. He took advantage of those deliciously opened lips by further deepening the kiss while slowly, but surely, pushing his tall assistant against the wall.

Loki's backside hit the wall and he noticed the brown-haired, self-proclaimed genius taking a certain level of control. Secretly, he found that this annoying man did not taste unpleasant and he was losing himself more and more in the sudden sensations coursing through him. A shiver of unexplained desire ran through Loki's body and it dawned on him that he no longer had any control of the situation. The mortal in front of him, however, was foolish for thinking that he could gain leverage. His mind and body in turmoil demanded for a change of course.

Tony felt a hand cup his jaw with a firm grip and, before he had the opportunity to register what was happening, he was flipped around suddenly so that his own back was now against the wall. His assistant was full of surprises and he found himself kissed back with the same vicious stamina normally reserved for discussions. Another tongue joined in the battle for dominance. Unexpectedly against his nature, Tony gave in to Locke's dominance, feeling wonderfully helpless in his grasp.

Loki admitted that he was starting to grow fond of this newfound, reviving feeling. He grinned, feeling the other man give up his hopeless struggle. It was good to know that Stark gave in and became his. Slowly, his mind kicked into gear.  _Stark is mine now_. That's what the warm, melting body in his grip told him. Suddenly, as if he only just realised his actions, Loki pushed himself away abruptly.  _What am I doing_? He very evidently tried to compose himself and regain control over a body that no longer seemed his own.

 _Have I finally gone mad? Have I reached the borders of my sanity?_  His eyes flashed towards Stark who was plastered against the wall, face flushed and kiss-flushed lips slightly parted. Loki's heart beat loudly in his chest as a certain knowledge sprang to mind. The way Stark looked undone—staring at him with a mixture of want, regret, and loss—was all his doing. Those big autumn-brown eyes told him something he did not want to know. Stark's words did the same.

"Don't go."

Tony watched the expression on Locke's face shift as the man started to realise his actions. It rapidly changed from lust-filled to dawning comprehension before finally ending with a panicking fear drawn across his beautiful pale face. Tony's mind raced, telling him to step in and get what he desired, to bring those soft demanding lips back to his own.

His assistant bolted to his room, slamming the door behind and leaving Tony alone in the now silent hallway. Tony had known that sooner or later his stroke of luck would end badly. But the moment his blue-eyed assistant turned the tables and took the upper hand, hope had crept into his brain, making itself comfortable and wanting more. He did not want their tryst to come to an end and he had thought the other man's passionate kisses were an indication that he might feel the same way.

Tony didn't have a clue anymore as to why the thought of making out with another man had freaked him out so badly. In fact, it wasn't really that different compared to women, or at least, it did not make him feel any different or more awkward. Actually, it felt pretty good, now that he thought about it. The action itself was something else of course—new smells and tastes, the same kind of strength in the body of a partner. He only felt a slight pang of guilt for picking the wrong time, place, and perhaps man. In the end, Locke had not wanted this, right? How would or could he face the man now, knowing what had transpired between them? Could he blame it on being drunk? No. By now, he knew Locke well enough to know that the man was as capable as Pepper in seeing right through him. Frustrated about his new situation, he headed toward the lab in need of something to focus his mind on besides the desire to rush into Locke's bedroom and ravish the man.

Cleaned out car parts from the wreckage that started this mess lay scattered everywhere on the floor. Tony sat down on an empty chair next to the engine he'd been working on during the previous days. There was never a shortage of work as long as his mind kept going, injecting him with innovative new ideas every ten seconds. At first, he had thought about rebuilding the demolished car from his accident with Locke, but after removing the broken parts and laying them out, a new plan had formed. He was sure that somewhere in the chaos of his lab, the laid out parts made sense. There was always a plan behind his enthusiastic madness.

The engine of his old red sports car was placed on the table next to him, now unrecognisable if compared to its original form. It had been completely modified and a blue glow illuminated its core, casting a shimmering light on the architectural metal pieces. AC/DC blasted from the speakers as Tony continued his work, trying to deter the longing feelings inside him.

A few hours and several cups of strong 'Maybe-I'll-sell-this' Stark coffee later, Tony had completed more work than expected. He sat there, content, staring at the now-finished engine. All that was left was building the rest of the car, which was fairly easy work compared to this. His mind had wandered off plenty, but no longer did he find his thoughts of Locke disturbing. His thoughts about Loki, however, were still another problem, entirely in its own category of crazy, and they were something he hoped to not deal with in the same manner as he had Locke.

Somewhere along the line, Tony decided it didn't matter one bit if he was straight, gay, bisexual, or just interested in anything that moved and had a fine ass. In his personal opinion, after seeing Locke in a different light, he had to admit that the man had a mighty fine ass indeed. Whatever or whomever he liked, he was still Tony Stark - genius billionaire playboy philanthropist - and probably the most handsome bisexual man on Earth.  _After all, I still love breasts. Those things are just wonderful._

* * *

Loki, meanwhile, tried to fall asleep in the stillness of his own room. But every time he closed his eyelids, his mind wandered back to previous…events. Due to his constant reliving of the very real and heated kiss he shared with one particularly frustrating Tony Stark, his goal toward achieving a peaceful, dreamless slumber seemed to be out of the question. Even as he lay wide awake, he kept having internal discussions. Mostly, he was blaming Stark for not having any self-control, but then again, he hadn't either and his actions scared him. Eventually, Loki drifted off to sleep, incapable of keeping his eyelids from closing and unwilling to admit that he feared the dreams to come.

Loki jolted awake to the loud beeps and high-pitched tone of his alarm clock as it alerted him to the time. A slow, lazy hand struggled to find the 'Off' switch. He noticed his own irregular breathing and flushed warm face. For a moment, he thought his fever had returned, but he seemed all right. He felt alive, awake, and…slowly, the dots connected. He pulled off the blanket and stood up with haste, cursing Stark and the aggravating stupid actions that caused this. Never had he felt so damned frustrated and confused in his own body.

Embarrassed, he admitted that he was facing a problem that most human males suffered on a daily basis.

****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To my readers, followers and reviewers, i love the fact that you take time to read my story. Know that you guys are greatly appreciated.
> 
> And of course don't forget to leave a review for me to consume, i eat those things for breakfast before i go to work.
> 
> thank you swordmisstress for betaing this story


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Loki had managed to avoid every living being in or around the tower the day after he had been kissed. He still got his coffee in the morning - the mixture of milk, sugar, and hot dark liquid was ready for him at the usual time, which actually surprised him. Stark had made a wise decision, for once in his life, for he could not see the brown-haired engineer anywhere in the vicinity of the kitchen. He drank his hot beverage while enjoying the view of the city in silence, cold air brushing against his face as he sat outside on the large balcony of the penthouse. That day he remained seated outside, figuring that it would be the least likely place to run into Stark or any other being. A laptop rested on the small table in front of him, the screen revealing a mailbox full with requests of attendance. Every human organisation wanted a piece of Iron Man; they practically begged the man to come to their events. How shameless. Some even went as far as to offer payment for a mere visit and Loki had to read each and every one of them, sifting through the good, bad, and increasingly ridiculous offers. By the end of the long day, only a few handfuls of proper deals remained. All he needed now was Stark's approval and that could wait until the next day. He really did not want or need to see that face today, not after absorbing himself in so much work to take his mind of the previous night.

The second day after their unfortunate meeting started in much the same way - peaceful morning silence, decent coffee, and no Stark. Unfortunately, he could hear the sound of a sliding glass door, a signal declaring that he would not be alone for much longer.

"So this is where you've been hiding. Nice secret hideout, very spacious."

"Stark." He said, acknowledging the presence of the man.

"Yeah, good morning to you too, your Highness."

Loki decided that any attempt of spoken words on his side would only fuel talkative enthusiasm on Stark's behalf, who had seated himself too close for Loki's comfort. So he chose to ignore the man's words and actions in hope that the shorter male would cease his pursuit of socialisation.

Stark pointed at his coffee, the warm drink still emitting curls of steam in the air. "Noticed you got used to my poison. I want to bet you can't live another day without it."

_I hate it when you are correct, Stark._

"Nobody can resist the charm…of my coffee. They all succumb to it sooner or later." Stark said, before taking a sip of his own pure, dark coffee. "Your silence does nothing but agree, your Highness, to the fact that you love to have something of mine in your mouth."

Loki thanked the nine for his current self-control, because after hearing those words, he almost, almost spewed out his coffee. He did not want to know what kind of look was on his own face now - horror, confusion, fear, or anything in-between. Instead of backing off at whatever expression sat on his face, Stark, the fool, decided to advance further. The comment was obviously a jest at the kiss they shared and right now Loki was furious because of that, furious because it was not entirely untrue. Loki composed himself again, straightening out the look on his face. With all intent on having the man back off, he glared at Stark, not sparring the look of annoyance or defiance in his eyes.

"Baby, I love it when you glare like that." Stark practically purred over the rim of his coffee cup.

 _What!_? Loki was taken aback by this declaration coming from the engineer. Said man's speech and body language alerted him, telling him the words "jokingly" said were true.  _He can't be serious._

"Cat got your tongue?" Stark smiled, his face giving off a certain resolve instead of the earlier worry and discomfort Stark had always had around him. This change worried Loki, who felt uneasy knowing that Stark felt entirely too comfortable around him. It was as if their roles had been reversed. Loki lifted his drink, better to empty it and end this one-sided conversation before it evolved. Before he had a chance to lift it, a warm, calloused hand wrapped around his hand holding the cup.

"You're holding it wrong." Stark took the cup from him, evidently intent on showing how he should hold it. "It's coffee, not tea and biscuits. Just grab it and drink it like a man, not like a princess." Stark pressed the still-warm cup back in his hands, letting his fingers remain on his a second too long for Loki's liking.

With one swift move, he emptied his hot drink and stood up. "I told you earlier not to touch me, or treat me like an ignorant child." Stark did nothing but look at him with this annoyingly knowing smirk on his face and Loki wished for nothing more than to wipe it off. "I expect you to be decently dressed in twenty minutes. I have things that you need to sign for approval and, at noon, you have another meeting with Bruce Banner." He closed the glass door behind him, leaving the other man on the balcony alone.

Loki entered his own room, intent on dressing properly and brushing his teeth. The taste of coffee lingering in his mouth reminded him too much of Stark in a way he really did not want. His cheeks were red with anger, shame, or something else he had no intention of feeling. He brushed his teeth in silence while staring at his strange reflection. During the past weeks, he had slowly grown accustomed to his more untameable blond locks, but the stormy-blue colour in his eyes was something to which he had still not become accustomed. Nor would he probably ever, for, admittedly, he missed the perfect green of his own godly eyes.

The ex-god did a mundane thing, cleaning out his toothbrush and washing his face with cool water and soap. There was a lingering smell of oil and coffee on his hand. With a raised eyebrow, he wondered where the smell originated. He could understand the coffee, but not the oil, and then he knew. It was where Stark had touched his hand while showing him how to "drink coffee like a man." And it dawned on him that he had not flinched from the foreign touch nor did the smell of coffee and oil he associated with the brown haired genius disgust him any longer. He had even grown accustomed to his warm coffee with milk in the morning, even if it was the engineer that made it for him.

* * *

Tony waited for his tall and lean assistant in the living room, impeccably but casually dressed. He could not help but gloat that in his persistence, Locke had not retracted his hand in a reflex of anger, nor had they ended up verbally killing each other. Sure, the man had glared at him, but it was the truth when Tony had told the other that it turned him on. No man should be allowed to be that beautiful when glaring. It took willpower not to make an attempt to ravish the other man and it was completely against his nature to resist that particular impulse.

The sound of a closing door resounded in the hallway, noting Locke's return from his room. Tony placed his hand over his heart, calling out, "Darling!"

"Stop right there, Stark." Loki was not about to play this game with the engineer.

"Is it that time of the month again?" Tony grinned. For some reason, he felt good enough to test the waters today, see how far he could go before the man tried to strangle him.

"Stark." Loki said, a dark undertone in his voice.

"I'm not-so-secretly hoping that if I get you pissed enough, you're gonna give me that devious glare again." Tony said, grinning.

Loki dropped a few files on the table in front of Stark. "You need to choose one of these and sign it; they all need a yes or no before tonight."

"I love it when you talk business like that."

Loki rolled his eyes. Would that man ever give up his hopeless flirting? "The first one is an attendance for…" A laugh coming from the kitchen interrupted them. Both Loki and Tony were equally surprised to see Steve Rogers standing in the doorway, laughing his socks off while holding a sandwich.

"Jarvis?" Tony asked, brows raised.

"Sir?"

"Care to explain why Cap is making sandwiches in my kitchen?"

"You guys should have heard your bickering." Steve tried to catch his breath again before Jarvis formulated his answer.

"Sir, it seemed futile to make Mr. Rogers wait downstairs so I let him take the elevator to the penthouse. Upon arrival, he took the liberty to prepare himself food."

Steve managed to regain his normal friendly composure, a warm smile upon his face. "Well, I'm happy to see you two get along."

"Oh we more than just get along, right, your Highness?" Tony replied, sultry undertones escaping Steve's notice, but not Loki's.

"Stark, read and sign your papers."  _And if you dare to mention what happened so held me I will strangle you._

"The both of you know that you look like an old married couple arguing, right?" Steve said, before he took a bite from his sandwich.

"Get back in the kitchen and make me a sandwich Steve!" Tony replied, running a hand through his short brown hair. And there went the mighty Captain America, back into the kitchen, fully intent on making his friend a sandwich. The reference of what Tony said was lost on his friend and that made the serious way in which the tall, blond, and broad-shouldered American went into the kitchen all the more hilarious. Tony shot a careful glance at Locke; there was a small, almost unnoticeable, amused smile on his face. Without thinking about it, he shouted towards the kitchen. "Steve, make Locke something too."

It did not go by unnoticed to Steve that Tony Stark had requested food for his assistant. Steve smiled. Even if Tony was seen as an egotistical, narcissistic ass by most people and even by him in the past. But in time, he learned the truth in the actions of his friend. Tony did not mind having Locke around anymore. When Steve returned to the large open living room again, it was silent. Tony was reading a file while Locke seemed to be patiently waiting for reply. How Locke Ladislav managed to make his short friend read anything without constant moping or sighing was certainly a mystery. He put a small plate with sandwiches on the table and the three of them ate in silence.

"So Steve, why the early visit?" Tony asked, not looking up from the files. "Did you break something again?"

The smile on Steve's face faded into serious lines. "I'm here on a different matter, Fury is…"

Tony finished Steve's sentence for him. "Hiding things from us?" He asked, looking up.

Steve nodded. "He is still working on the portal with Selvig, even without the power of the tessaract. Not to mention, toying with the leftover Chitauri weaponry."

The mood had gotten more serious, even his assistant was paying attention. Tony put the files down on the table, focusing his attention on Steve. "I'm just waiting for the moment I can say I told you so."

"Yeah, well, you can," Steve replied. Tony narrowed his eyes, a hardly noticeable wrinkle showing a sign of worry on his face. He continued, "Yesterday, during a routine run, I was attacked by a Chitauri, but it looked different from those we encountered during Loki's campaign. But it was unmistakably Chitauri."

Tony blinked. "Did I hear that correctly? Please, tell me I'm deaf, Steve."

Loki, who had been listening to every spoken word with fervent interest, paled. Another human emotion seemed to be taking hold of his body, overriding any logical thinking, like anger and…was it lust? that had done this before. It was fear he felt now that made him rigid and tense. He dropped a half-eaten sandwich to the floor.  _Scouts._

"Locke?"

_They are sending small parties of scouts._

"Locke, are you in there?" Tony snapped his fingers in front of his assistant's face.

_They have come looking for me._

Tony was about to start shaking the man when Steve stopped him. "Don't, Tony, you'll only make it worse."

Tony looked at his friend in question. "Don't hold out on me, Capsicle. Spill the beans."

"I've seen this reaction before, on the battlefield and the frontlines. My guess is that he had a run in with the Chitauri before and that it did not end well for him. Not to mention that before he came here, he was weak, injured, and homeless." Steve's phone rang, commanding his attention as Jarvis simultaneously alerted Tony to an incoming call.

"Sir, Fury requests that you pick up."

"Ignore him."

"We can't ignore him, Tony." Steve shook his head.

"Hell yes, we can!" Tony said, his irritation and anger growing.

"No, we can't. Look outside." Steve pointed to the windows. The early rays of morning sunshine and the bright cloudless sky seemed to have dissolved, a sudden storm was brewing and they both knew what that meant.

"Jarvis, put Fury on speaker."

Fury's voice blasted through the speakers. "Both of you, get to the helicarrier now."

Tony was pissed now. He hated being told what to do on a good day and this was rapidly turning into a not-so-good day. "Does this have anything to do with a certain portal you're still working on, or maybe those Chitauri weapons? Not to mention the attack yesterday."

"Stark stop being an …"

It felt good to cut Fury off mid-sentence. "I hate to say I told you so, wait, no, I don't," Tony mocked. "I told you so."

Steve spoke then, "With all due respect, sir, Tony will not be able to come in this instant."

"What!?" Tony was flabbergasted. Even Steve was telling him what to do right now.

"There is a small but important situation going on here that requires Tony's attention." Steve said, ignoring Tony and pointing in Locke's general direction, who still sat in silence, alabaster face focused on the storm about to rage outside.

"Fine, but you better hurry up, Captain. Stark, put him into one of your aircrafts and get him here swiftly. I'm sure you have those nearby as well."

"Go, Stark, and play with your friends." Locke had been silent the whole time and now that he spoke out loud, his voice was oddly lacking in conviction. Outside, more deep-grey clouds had gathered for the upcoming storm. A slow rumble could be heard already. Big blue eyes, filled with worry and something more, stared outside. The lack of sunlight made him look even more pale than normal.

"Locke Ladislav?" Steve received no response from the man, nor had he really expected any at this point as it looked as if the anxiety was rapidly accelerating in the tall assistant. "Locke, I'm leaving you in the capable hands of Tony. Contrary to what people say, he's actually very good at defending and protecting those in need, not to mention making sacrifices." Steve was using the voice of a real soldier, his Captain's voice, Tony noticed.

"Hey, don't I get a say in this?" Tony asked. Whatever it was that Fury had gotten them into, he wanted to know all the finer details and then some. A low, growling rumble resounded in the sky and a loud clap of thunder with a stroke of lightning lit the sky for a short moment. Tony noticed his assistant twitch hard in his chair, which was unusual since Locke was not the fidgety kind of person. His friend and fellow Avenger was right, Tony could not leave Locke like this. "See ya, Steve. You know where to go. Either you or Bruce tell me as soon as possible how fucked we are."

"We will." The tall blond hero said as he carried himself off with a sure but hurried pace. Rain came pouring down from the sky, covering the city in a wet dull-grey mass of water. A second thunderous roar and dance of lightning drew a panicked look from his assistant. It even worried Tony.

"Scared of lightning?" he asked quietly. Two deep, shimmering, blue orbs set in a pale, sculpted face looked at him. Even if the man looked a bit frightful, Locke was absolutely beautiful - pale, angular, wide-eyed.

"I am…" A creepy sense of déjà vu came over Tony as Locke spoke softly. Tony knew the taller man wanted to say more than just the words I am and it bothered him that the rest remained unsaid. Yet the way Tony finished it in his head reminded him of another person:

_...not overly fond of what follows._

Even in an unexpected moment like this, the green-eyed god invaded his mind, even when he already had admitted to himself that he could be attracted to men as well, his brain seemed intent on letting the insane god haunt every unguarded moment. The other man that haunted his dreams was sitting in a chair not too far from him, huge emotion-filled eyes looking outside, lips slightly parted as if begging to be kissed again. Another stroke of lightning, accompanied by a recognisable roar of thunder, alerted them both to the same thing without either of them knowing it - the arrival of a certain God of Thunder - Thor.

Locke seemed to have reverted to silence once more, starring outside in a almost defensive way. Tony wondered what the man had gone through during the big raid of Chitauri on New York. Thinking back to events that happened to him, he had a clue of how his assistant might have felt or what he'd experienced. A warmness started spreading in Tony while watching his lean assistant and he took his chair to place it besides Locke's and sat down. Loki felt two harmless but warm arms wrap carefully around him. They felt oddly comforting and his body seemed to release some of its tension in the embrace. Knowing whose arms were the cause of this did not make the battle between his body and brain easier, however, one side wanted to lash out and the other wanted to surrender. Then Loki did something unexpected of himself and his normal nature.

Nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you patient readers, i'm aware you guys had to wait for more than ten days. I'd like you to know that chapter 15 an 16 are both at my beta already.
> 
> feel free to leave a review i can always use some soul-food.
> 
> Thanks to my beta tragicguardian and swordmisstress


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Tony Stark was at a loss for words. Not a single syllable sprang to his mind nor had any coherent words formed in his brain. The short, brown-haired genius was certain that if he opened his mouth right now, nothing but gibberish would come out of it. Surely any sound of his voice daring to break the spell of silence would take him away from this impossibly surreal moment.

A mop of golden, sand-coloured hair rested against his shoulder. The engineer could not comprehend what was happening or why it happened at all. The only thing left for him to do was sit still and enjoy it for as long as it lasted.

After Captain America left him with his almost comatose assistant, who was starring in utter silence toward the raging storm outside, a spark of desire had stolen over Tony. It crept closer and closer to the surface, giving him small goosebumps over his entire body. Those staring blue eyes were so tragic and beautiful, practically hypnotic. They didn't burn with their regular fire and venomous passion, yet they remained desirable nonetheless. It made  _him_  feel like the helpless moth drawn to the burning flame that would eventually turn him to a pile of ashes.

He wrapped his arms around the other man, hoping they could stay there for a even just a brief moment in time.

His silent request was granted. His arms held Locke and stayed carefully placed around the tall, lean man. Minutes seemed to pass before the intense gaze of his assistant softened. Tony could feel Locke's chest rising up and slowly releasing a deep breath. The ominous dark-grey colour in the sky above New York dispersed, giving way to blue clear skies just as fast as the storm had appeared. As those clouds faded, his tall assistant gradually relaxed, slowly letting his weight lean into Tony's embrace.

That is how Tony ended up in his current predicament: trapped holding a pale-faced man adorned by golden locks. Locke's eyes were closed and he leaning against him. His snarky, easily-angered assistant was now in deep sleep, his breathing brushing against Tony's goosebump-filled skin with every exhale. For the love of God, he could not help but inhale the man's natural scent - Locke smelled of cold winter evenings, when the skies were clear and all the stars shone across a black background. Well, at least, that was what Tony envisioned from that pure scent.

No other description could be given, except that Locke had minty breath. _Which is also nice. I mean, you don't kiss people with horrible morning breath. Not even when they are sleeping this cutely._

Tony's eyes shot open and he raised an eyebrow in contemplation.  _Wait, what? Did I just…_

_Yes, I did think he was cute._

_Damn_. Tony was torn between two ideas. First, he wanted to let Locke rest without waking him up. Second, he wanted to go, put on his suit, and leave. Whatever Fury had done, he wanted to know and know it now. An internal dilemma raged war between these two desires; he could not do one without giving up the other. And he really did not want to let Locke go. If anything, he wanted to pull him closer and place a kiss on those soft, smooth lips. They were almost begging for him to place a tender touch on them and the cleanly-shaved skin on Locke's jaw deserved lingering strokes too. Not to mention, Locke's neck practically begged for Tony to run the tip of his tongue along it, only to end with a…

_Fuck. I should really stop thinking._

"Jarvis? What is the probability of Locke waking up if I move him?" Tony shifted uneasily in his chair.

"Given his state of sleep, I would say about thirty-seven percent, sir. My advice would be to sit still and wait patiently."

"Torture, Jarvis!"

"What is torture, Tony?" came a voice from behind him.

He turned his head and saw Pepper entering the room. It had been over a week since he had last seen her and that was when she had left him with Locke.

"I had kind of hoped you would grow accustomed to having a man as a personal assistant," she sighed.

_Well shit, that's not a problem anymore, Pep._

"Anyways, S.H.I.E.L.D. called me here, telling me you had a problem big enough to cause you to not attend their meeting. Is everything al—" Miss Virginia 'Pepper' Potts stopped dead in her tracks at the sight. Tony's arms were the only thing that held Locke in his chair. Otherwise, the blonde man would have slumped to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Had Locke fainted? Was he unwell?

"Help me, Pep." Tony didn't beg. He never begged. But he could ask for help...sometimes. Apparently, this was definitely one of those times.

"What's wrong with him?" Pepper asked concernedly, surveying the situation with care.

"Just sleeping." Tony gestured with his head to the couch. "Now help me get him up. I need to put him to bed so I can leave."

"Just sleeping? What do you mean ' _just sleeping_ '?" The Tony she knew, even if he was kind-hearted, would not let a man sleep like that, especially in his arms.

"Yeah, long story. Now please help me, before he slips."  _Or before I start getting ideas again._

It looked like she had no choice. What had he gotten himself into now? Trouble after trouble came along when your name was Tony Stark. She wrapped her arms around Locke, carefully trying to keep him from sliding out of his chair. "All right Tony, but hurry. I can't hold him for long. And you should head over to S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Absolutely. You know me, Pep, ready to go ruin S.H.I.E.L.D.'s day, every day." He made sure Pepper had Locke secured before moving. "Perfect. Now hold him for a while so he doesn't fall off, okay? And don't wake him up. He gets really cranky. Like PMS cranky."

Tony took the momentary release of hold as an opportunity and stretched. Pepper gave him a glare that said, 'Hurry up.' He shrugged and let out a sigh as if responding, 'Yeah, I know, but I don't care.' He picked up the other man, more delicately than he cared to realise, and carried him over to the couch.

Tony took great care of his assistant and Pepper saw that clearly when Tony Stark, the ever single billionaire, pulled a blanket over Locke's sleeping form. It was as if a light bulb went on in her head. He cared—no, he didn't just care for the other man—he liked him more than he could probably admit to himself. Knowing Tony, he was in denial of some sort or just too stupid to realise it. Oh God, all this time Tony was attracted to men and she, and probably he, didn't even know it.  _The question was, does Tony know?_

"There we go. All tucked in. Now be a good Pepper and watch over him," Tony said to her, a wide stupid grin on his face. "Never know when he'll wake up and freak out again." He walked in the direction of the balcony's ledge where Jarvis was already preparing the gold and red parts of his Iron Man suit.

 _He knows. And he cares for Locke, too._  Well, at least that explained a few things that had happened over the past few months. Already, the anger and worry she had toward him lessened. Men, no matter how intelligent, were always stupid fools when it came to the heart. Intelligent men—geniuses—were worse off than regular men. Somehow, she ended up feeling a bit foolish herself, for not seeing something like this coming her way.

The only other question running rampant in her brain was, is he aware that he cares? Did he realise that besides a physical attraction, he might have a deeper connection with Locke already? He had to suspect something, right? She hoped he wouldn't make the awful mistake of seeing Locke as just another conquest.  _Dear God, would he do that to his assistant or to himself?_

Pepper hoped that Tony Stark's brain would conclude that "just sleeping" with this particular assistant would result in nothing except madness and trouble. Locke would be furious, assuming there was even a pinprick of a chance that he'd actually do it. Pepper would be furious herself, and as they say, 'hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.' Or, in this particular case, it would be a very vengeful, venomous, and tall man who had already tried to strangle Tony and that was while he was still in a hospital bed.

She looked at the man in question, sleeping in peaceful oblivion on the couch. He was unaware of his surroundings and the fact that he'd been carried there by his boss. The only visible part of him was a mess of blonde hair and a grey-socked foot poking out from underneath the covers. Pepper palmed her face. _The man Tony cares for...may God have mercy on us all._

* * *

Tony Stark, Iron Man, was flying high in the sky with great velocity toward his destination. It wouldn't take him long to reach Fury with his thrusters on max. He'd even be there before the Director could have a chance to calm down an angry Captain America and that was saying a lot, since Steve was by far the easiest Avenger to calm. The clouds parted before him, his red and gold armour gleaming, to reveal the helicarrier. Before he landed on the deck, he made sure to pass the windows just to notify Fury of his arrival, but mostly because he knew it pissed the hell out of him.

He walked in with full armour and his faceplate pulled up - Iron Man in all his pissed off glory. He looked around the room. Aside from Clint and Natasha, the others were already there. Steve had left the Tower before him, flying one of Tony's vehicles. Banner sat on a chair, fidgeting and probably still feeling uncomfortable in the enormous military battle-helicopter ship—whatever they combined to create this monstrosity. No one could blame the scientist though; who could feel comfortable within the vicinity of a cell designed especially for them?  _Stupid assholes_. Thor was there too, in all his armoured Asgardian glory.

"So what did I miss?" Tony asked with a loud clap of his hands, calling attention to himself and his words. "Come on, people. Fill me in."

"Man of Iron, 'tis good to see you well," Thor claimed in his loud voice.

"Stark, nice of you to finally join us," Fury spoke, his one good eye ruthlessly staring at him and analyzing his reactions.

"I'm a nice guy after all, Fury. Unlike some here I actually stopped making weapons." Tony gave a pat on Bruce's shoulder as he passed by, a signal for the man that said something along the lines of 'don't worry.' "Oh, did I forget to mention the Chitauri? Because those are always bad. Nasty little things. Like cockroaches."

Tony cocked his eyebrow. "Right, Steve? You got one under your boot the other day, didn't you?" Steve—no,  _Captain America_ —looked at him and nodded in approval. Tony continued. "And I know for a fact that there is a crack forming in your basement large enough for the insects to crawl out."

"Stark, I hope you're not implying that they got here with my help." Fury's one good eye narrowed.

"No, no. Not implying at all. Just pointing in the general direction of where things get fucked up." God, he wished he had a drink right now. Fury was not only pissed off at him but, judging by the look of his face, the man was pissed at himself too. "So to what do we owe the pleasure of their visit?"

Surprisingly, it was Thor that answered instead of Fury. "Loki."

"What?" Tony thought it was good that he didn't have a drink in his hand right now for he probably would have crushed his glass at the mention of that particular name. "Don't tell me your dear little darling brother escaped, Pointbreak."

"No, he…" Thor swallowed in the middle of his sentence as he tried to find the right words. "Loki is no longer…" His teammates visibly relaxed, glad that the chaotic and rampant god could no longer spread his menacing terror across the Earth. Tony was just glad that he had his armour on for he felt tense after hearing those words come out of Thor's mouth.  _He can't be…_

Thor continued. "The Other swore an oath to my brother, a pact that if Loki failed him, the Other would find him and torture him. They came to Asgard trying to sniff him out but found nothing except a lingering scent."

_He is still making me have those dreams so he can't be gone._

"Now they have come to Midgard." Thor looked to Fury and anyone could see that the strong Asgardian was angry. "Only a few got in by passing a rift created by you. Foolish mortal." Fury gave no obvious reaction, but he knew very well that those words were aimed at him. "They will not find Loki," Thor said. "But they are intent on giving the Other the revenge it seeks. That creature wants to see Midgard destroyed and it is only a matter of finding a way."

_Then those dreams I had meant that I—_

Discussion burst out among them. Tony was too lost in his own thoughts and Thor's words to even join the debate, something that he would have done immediately had he not come to a certain conclusion in his mind. If Loki had not caused those dreams to stay there, haunting him, if the god was elsewhere…then those thoughts were his own.

_I wanted Loki._

"Tony?" the voice of Steve Rogers called to him.

"Huh, yeah?" Tony said, snapping out of his thoughts.

"Don't you agree that as a temporary solution, it would be best if we stayed at Stark Tower together?" Steve looked at him and both Bruce and Thor followed suit. It would be bad for Bruce to attempt to sleep in this goddamn helicarrier monstrosity. Steve probably didn't feel inclined to stay in the helicarrier either. And Thor, well, he was Thor. The Asgardian god that would follow them everywhere if it meant having Pop-Tarts, coffee, and shawarma.

So Tony shrugged his shoulders and said, "Sure, just give me two days."

That was how the Avengers came to agree that, for the time being, instead of staying in the hellicarrier, they would stay in Stark Tower. From there on out, they could easily move and advance on any trouble. Bruce could continue all of his lab work without the constantly eerie and watchful eye of S.H.I.E.L.D. glaring over his shoulder. Steve, like Tony, was just pissed off, though he was professional enough to not show it. Most of the time, he seemed to spend his hours drawing somewhere in the city or at the Tower anyway. Thor would follow the rest of them, it was as simple as that. And the assassins…well, only time could tell what they thought whenever they returned from their current mission.

Locke would definitely not be amused by any of this, but at least he'd be safe.  _Why do I need him safe_? Tony mentally shook his head. It doesn't matter. Of course he needed his assistant safe, the guy works for him after all. It doesn't matter one bit that they kissed or that he was hot just like…

Just like _Loki._

They all said their farewells for the time being and in two days, they would all show up on his doorstep. There were enough empty rooms in the Tower on the level below his and Locke's living quarters; it was simple a matter of providing those rooms with enough furniture. None of that troubled him though, because only one thought was spinning in his mind, making his already pissed-off mood worse and adding an unexpected depression to the mix.

_Loki is dead._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for the reviews, tasty soulfood has been consumed ( and is still being consumed)with evident greed.
> 
> Thanks for reading, following and favoriting as always, i love you guys for it^^.
> 
> Feel free to leave a review.
> 
> Last not least, big thanks to sinister Banana and swordmisstressfor beta-ing this one here!


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

The impact of the news that Loki was gone hit Tony heavier than he expected. On a certain level, Tony even felt guilty because, after all, had the Avengers not succeeded in capturing the god? Iron Man certainly was part of them. Moreover, that chaotic, evil bastard surely did deserve every inch of punishment they could image. Right? Admittedly, with the exception of Steve, they all had wished him dead at some point. Yet hearing from Thor that Loki was actually gone, actually dead, had struck a nerve.

Tony found himself hit by a raw hurt on the way back home. A sense of grief had come washing over him. He should  _not_  feel such empathy for a villain, for the mastermind behind so many attacks and so much death and mayhem. Yet he did, and what perhaps struck him more is that Thor had been there. How could any man or god who had defended their sibling for all that they were worth, even when enough deaths had already been dealt, stand by such a punishment? How could Thor even talk about it with such ease, especially when it had been only two months ago?

Neither he nor the others had ever caught the big Asgardian telling a lie, not even a small one. The man had always stated the truth, sometimes to the point of being hilarious. So for Tony Stark to doubt those words seemed far-fetched. There was still something hidden though, something left unsaid. Thor had definitely not told them all there was to say and none of them felt like pressing him at that moment. Tony sighed. Where was the Black Widow when you needed her the most?

The grey expanse of metal and glass that formed the city in all its glory came into sight. Morning had come and gone long before he reached S.H.I.E.L.D. and now it was time for the sun to start setting, for all regular people to start dinner. To be fair, he had had plenty of good coffee today, but his stomach had yet to be filled. "Jarvis, is Pepper still at the tower?" If anything, Tony wanted food right now _._ Real, solid,  _good_  food, preferably steak.

"No, sir. She left after Mr. Ladislav woke. He insinuated that they both should get back to their work, seeing as there was more than enough piling up." Jarvis stated.

Dear God, it had never occurred to him that Locke was equally the workaholic that Pepper was. He could always find the man working behind his laptop, or with his nose in documents and papers, carrying a frown while studying them. Only in the very beginning had he struggled slightly. It was only in the very beginning that he had not noticed certain traits of his assistant. Tony figured he might as well risk it and ask Locke to order dinner. "Jarvis, open a comm line between me and the tower." There was no way that he, himself, was going to get steak right now.

"Comm line is open sir, but I do suggest waiting. Mr. Ladislav is currently attending personal business."

"Oh is he? Now you've made me curious." Personal business sounded way too deliciously private. How could he  _not_  want to sneak a peak of whatever was currently going on in the tower? "Can I get a visual of this personal situation?"

"I'd rather not give it to you. So no, sir, you may not have a visual."

"Jarvis, you're not helping here." Tony definitely did not remember giving Jarvis a sense of moral decency.

"And I don't plan to, sir. The comm line is open now."

Stark sighed in defeat. "Highness, are you there?"

"What!? Stark how  _dare_  you intrude on my...Stark where are you?!" Well, at least Locke was awake and himself again.

Tony's curiosity reared its head. "Still having that beauty sleep over there?"

"No, I was merely taking this opportunity to bathe. I felt the need to freshen up." Locke said on the other side of the line, clearly annoyed that he had been interrupted during this.

Tony had a good imagination. It was like a second nature to him, like engineering and inventing, just another perk of being who he is. His imagination was currently working in overdrive, like an unstoppable spinning wheel, granting him a perfect imaginary view of Locke bathing. Still, he was betting that the actual sight could easily beat this vision by tenfold, if only for the fact that it would be real. "Well, get dressed, I have an important errand for you to run."

"Ah yes, and of course I want to run your important errands now. No,  _really_ , Stark, that was my lifelong dream." Locke's voice dripped sarcasm.

"Wow, somebody is grumpy again. But it doesn't matter. I like it when you're feisty." Tony couldn't help the suggestive brow waggle, even though no one could see it. He could even envision his tall assistant's eyes rolling with that last comment perfectly. It was something he had come to see as a typical Locke thing. Or rather, a typical thing the man did as a reaction to him.

"Yes, well, state your business Stark."

"I want steak. No pizza or burger or anything fried. No, I want a real, good, thick, juicy steak. While you're at it, get something for yourself, too. I'm sure there's a restaurant nearby that you can coerce into take-out steak. Just give them that irresistible, cold stare of yours. I bet they'll drop to their knees instantly and serve you their best." Tony swore he could feel his stomach rumbling contently at the thought of such food.

A sigh was heard on the other side, a sign of a mind made up. "Just this once, Stark, and only because I'm sick of your revolting eating habits."

 _Score!_  "You hurt my feelings, Locke. I have perfect eating habits."  _When it comes to finger food._

"Goodbye, Stark." A recognizable sound in the background betrayed that elevator doors had closed.

"Please, Jarvis, tell me you have footage." He was already feeling more cheerful now, but the chance of seeing that perfectly shaped backside was not one he would let slip from his fingers.

"No, sir. As this was not an emergency, I took the liberty in deciding to not record any visuals in Mr. Ladislav's room." Tony swore that if Jarvis could smirk, he might have done so.

"I'm severely disappointed in you, Jarvis. I never raised you to have such morals." _Well, at least I still have my imagination. He also said goodbye. That's a new first, and I think he even meant it._

In all the long, tiresome days they had previously shared, Tony had never gotten a real good morning, good night, or even goodbye from Locke. Especially the first five or six days, when the man was still wearing the cast around his leg. Did Locke know that bit by bit, his stoic demeanor was crumbling? Every now and then, the brown-haired engineer had caught glimpses of what lay beneath that composed and sometimes spiteful shell the man kept up. So rarely had those walls crumbled, but sometimes he'd seen it when Locke was working, his face in peaceful concentration. He had seen it burning with a short but unrivaled passion, one that he hoped to meet and match again.

This morning, he had seen it on Locke's handsome sleeping visage. How he had wanted to run his hand along that cheek, trace those slightly pale, but soft rose-coloured lips with his finger tip and kiss the other man.  _Shit_. Tony Stark knew he was attracted to his assistant and that could only mean one thing.

_Pepper knows._

Pepper always knew things, even before Tony had a chance to discover them for himself. Yet no word about it was spoken this morning, nor did she seem angry or disappointed. The only thing that he could read from her face was the everlasting worry and concern for his safety. She had held that face ever since his return from Afghanistan, where the Ten Rings had kept him confined inside that accursed mountain.

Then it could only mean that she didn't care or judge him for being attracted to men. Leave it to Pepper to accept things with such ease, but he still had the feeling that he was going to get a long, and probably boring, speech from her just so she could be sure he knew what he was doing. Which he didn't, even for a man with his playboy reputation for flirting and sleeping around with anything that had a nice ass or a decent pair of breasts.

Currently, he was exploring unknown territory and its finest inhabitant might prove hostile. Although, he was hoping that recent signs were pointing in the opposite direction. After actually accepting it, he had to admit that it was only trading one problem for another, potentially more complicated, one.

The tower came into sight, a big bright 'A' already illuminating the slowly darkening sky. It was the only thing that was not fixed yet, a constant reminder of the tumultuous battle that had ravaged in the city's centre. He really should fix it. "Jarvis remind me sometime later that I need to repair the tower's sign."

He landed soundlessly, his boots sliding into place at the raised platform on the balcony, instantly triggering a series of robotic reactions guided by the meticulous A.I. The completely normal looking, but well-built, piece of architecture shifted and moved, giving way to a whole new and different structure. Nothing could ever be considered normal around him and that also included the places he lived. Piece by piece, his suit came off, every movement carefully calculated, every shift and balance in weight triggering new actions around him. He guided his right foot to step on actual concrete, knowing that if he looked behind him, nothing could be seen except for a relatively normal stylish balcony, empty of all the separate parts of the Iron Man suit carefully being stored by the fluid moving robotic arms that had been there mere seconds ago.

"Jarvis, how much longer before Locke gets back?" Tony asked while one of the glass doors slid open for him, giving him entrance to the the inner sanctum of his home.

"You can expect your dinner approximately twenty minutes and thirty-six seconds from now." Jarvis replied, voice seemingly more monotone than usual.

Tony immediately caught the difference in the vocal tone. He hadn't spent years talking and having conversations with an A.I. without being able to notice the subtle changes in its demeanor. Tony knew very well that Jarvis was hiding something from him and that was not an event that happened often. He decided to let it slip for now and just wait for the result.

"All right, just notify me when I can chow down on my dinner," Tony said before he headed back to the workshop with a fresh cup of coffee in his hand.

* * *

Loki was drifting in the confusing state between dream and consciousness, but he refused to open his eyes. Sleep was such a comfortable state in which to reside. Unfortunately, he still he felt his body waking. He pulled his cold foot back under the blanket, shifting so that he sank deep into the pillows. The horrid thing about waking up slowly is realizing there is nothing that can be done to prevent it. Eventually, you have to crawl out from under the covers and confines of a comfortable bed.

_This is not my bed._

The thought awoke him instantly and he concentrated on recognizing his surroundings. He was sleeping on the large sofa in the living room of Stark Tower, covered by a soft, warm blanket. How the hell did he get here? Slowly, but surely, he remembered. He had reacted in fear and shock. The Chitauri have returned. The skies above New York had become unnaturally clouded and thunder had sounded. After that was nothing but a vague blur as his human body had shut down on him, some kind of primeval defense mechanism. With great care, he slid the blanket from himself and sat up in the sofa. He combed a hand through his hair while trying to figure out how he got there.

"It's Tony's doing," said a definitive female voice familiar to him.

He rubbed his temples before speaking. "Miss Potts."

"You can call me Pepper, you know," she said, offering the just awakened man a glass of cold water. He had changed so much in the past eight or nine days, from the thin, sickly-looking drifter with an unkempt, messy beard, and equally unruly, muddied, long blond hair, into what she saw before her now. The only thing that had remained the same were those blue eyes. The hair that used to hang long, reaching even over his shoulders, was now cut shorter, but it still remained long for a man. It rested just above his shoulders and was neatly styled into place. The whole beard was gone, which she had not expected. Before, with his hairy chin and sideburns, he had looked wild and lost. Now, with the scruff gone from his face, he appeared calmer, attractive even. It wasn't strange to see how Tony had been drawn to his assistant. Even to her, Locke was handsome.

"What happened?" He took the glass of water, feeling grateful to have a drink, not that he'd say it out loud. Loki drank it with greed, feeling the need to quench his sudden, desperate thirst.

"I don't know everything. It's probably best if you ask Tony about most of it. When I came here on his call, asking me for help, my first thought was that he'd done something stupid again. But actually, he called me because was worried for you." She paused in her speech, to give Locke time to let the words sink in. There seemed to be a million things going on inside of the tall, blue-eyed man at this moment. "When I arrived, you were out cold and comfortably sleeping against Tony." She couldn't help but let out a soft, genuine laugh.

I WHAT!

"Tony couldn't move an inch because of you and all the time you were passed out, he sat there. I've never seen him with such patience toward another person. Not even me." She couldn't help it, but at that moment, she had felt a small pang of jealousy. "I helped him get out, but Tony was the one who carried you to the couch. He even tucked you in."

HE WHAT!

"He basically called me in to make sure you were all right when you woke up. Which, in my opinion, you are." She already had her handbag, filled with papers and documents, hanging around her shoulder. She smiled and stood up from her seat. "I do need to get back to work now."

"Stark is an idiot. I will make sure this event does not repeat itself." Loki scowled. Did that fool Stark have nothing better to do than to disturb people who actually worked hard?

"I'm not arguing with you about him being an idiot at times. However, he was genuinely concerned on your behalf." Her smile turned slightly devilish as a plan formed in her mind. "You owe him a favor, Locke." With that, she left, as enough had been said today. Still, to think Tony would like men? Never in her life had she expected that one. Furthermore, to think that the one who seemed to carry his favor was as much of a hassle as the irritating genius himself? She really didn't even know half of what type of chaos Tony had managed to get himself into this time.

_Oh, Tony, you are in so much trouble._

* * *

The thirst he was feeling had not been quenched by that one glass, so he carried it to the kitchen for a refill. His throat still feeling dry, he welcomed the cool, flowing water. When he opened the fridge to put the glass in its place, he noticed that Pepper had saved the uneaten sandwiches made by Steve Rogers. He liked the way she had neatly wrapped everything. More often than not, Tony would just throw food back into the fridge, not even caring if it was stored properly.

He checked the time, blinking in big red numbers on the microwave and winced. The day had gone by without him. It was already late in the afternoon, or even early in the evening, yet to him it felt like morning. He was drowsy, sweaty, and feeling annoyed as hell. There was also no coffee in the kitchen greeting him and that just did not feel right. He was so used to it by now, so used to the fact that Stark made him coffee early in the morning. It was something to which he had become fond. He enjoyed the coffee and the fact that Stark made it for him each day. It started out as a point to prove in an argument, but it had escalated somehow. There was no longer a point to prove. For some impossible reason, Stark was being considerate toward him. Almost unknowingly, he had been accepting this small show of kindness every day and he had started liking it.

Loki walked back to his room feeling irrationally conflicted with himself about enjoying Stark's coffee. He might not have his dark, hot drink now, but a shower was still a valid option. If you needed to feel awake, anyway. The faucet of the shower was turned on and he adjusted it until the water was lukewarm, mimicking the rain on a hot summer day. He stood there, eyes closed, facing the direction the water flowed from. Unfortunately, good things never lasted long.

"Highness, are you there?" Stark's voice interrupted his brief moment of peace.

Loki grabbed a towel and wrapped it his waist, momentarily forgetting to turn off the shower. "What!? Stark how  _dare_  you intrude on my..." Loki turned off the shower and cast a quick glance around the bathroom. He let out a deep breath of relief, although his heart was still racing. He was still alone. "Stark, where are you?"

"Still having that beauty sleep over there?"

"No, I was merely taking this opportunity to bathe. I felt the need to freshen up."  _By the Nine, Loki, you oaf! Why did you tell him the truth? You do not need Stark using his imagination to invade your private space!_  He knew full well what the contemplative silence on the other side of the line meant - Stark's brain was running wild. Probably concocting indecent images of him using the shower, even the both of them together, if he had half the chance.

 _Loki, stop using your brain like those insects!_  For just a millisecond, he had done the same.

"Well get dressed. I have an important errand for you to run," said the disembodied voice of Stark. He could almost hear the man smirking.

With haste and a disturbing feeling that seemed suspiciously like guilt, he got dressed, not even bothering with fresh garments. "Ah yes, and of course I want to run your important errands now. No,  _really_ , Stark, that was my lifelong dream."

"Wow, somebody is grumpy again. But it doesn't matter, I like it when you're feisty."

 _You and me both Stark_. Loki mentally punished himself for that last thought running about his mind. Ever since that kiss, he'd felt so on edge. He felt...well, mostly, he felt ashamed and guilty. Yet, sometimes, his blood felt awfully warm when he saw or thought of his infuriating employer. It was not a thing he wanted to face, so he ignored it whenever possible.

"Yes, well, state your business Stark," he snapped.

"I want steak. No pizza or burger or anything fried. No, I want a real, good, thick, juicy steak. While you're at it, get something for yourself, too. I'm sure there's a restaurant nearby that you can coerce into take-out steak. Just give them that irresistible, cold stare of yours. I bet they'll drop to their knees instantly and serve you their best."

Loki recalled Pepper's words, that he owed Stark. Since he had the feeling that the man was aggravatingly determined on having his dinner, he decided that giving in to the request would be his best option currently. He sighed. "Just this once Stark, and only because I'm sick of your revolting eating habits." That and he wanted to have a decent, non-greasy meal. He was sick of the way Midgardians ate. The only person with decent taste whom he had met so far had turned out to be Captain America.

"You hurt my feelings Locke, I have perfect eating habits."

Loki rolled his eyes at that. "Goodbye Stark."

As he left the penthouse, he heard a familiar voice speak up while he waiting inside the elevator. "Sir, the communication line to Mr. Stark has been terminated. Might I suggest ignoring his tip on asking a fancy restaurant for take-away?" suggested the calm, steady voice of Jarvis, echoing through a speaker in the right corner of the elevator.

"I was planning on ignoring that as well. His ideas can be quite childish for a grown man. No sane person would demand that from a decent restaurant." Except Stark, of course. "What is your suggestion, Jarvis?"

Before Jarvis could speak his thoughts, the doors of the private elevator opened into the lobby of Stark Tower. He grabbed his phone and brought it to his ear to carry on the conversation he was having with the A.I. With just a touch of a button he connected again, hearing Jarvis answer the moment the cellular device hit his ears.

"Well, sir, I believe that there is still a grocery store open not to far from here. I've already made arrangements for a driver."

* * *

Tony had only been busy for twenty minutes and already he had managed to get oil smears on his hands, arms, and face, not to mention the fact that he was working up a good sweat. Creative geniuses like him don't need to go to a gym. The perfect mixture of coffee, creativity, and a high I.Q. made sure that there was hard work to do in every hour of the day or night. There were always improvements to be made, new suit designs to work on, and that he had a whole arrangement of new ideas popping up in his head at any given time.

Right now, he was modifying the carcass of his old sports car. The self-sustaining engine was already complete. The car would be able to run at maximum speed for days and not weaken, the wheels spinning on and on. The whole thing could probably be used as a backup generator as well; you just never knew when you needed one of those. Currently, he was welding one of the larger frames, large goggles atop his head and AC/DC blaring loud through the speakers of the workshop. He was lying on the ground in a rather uncomfortable position, just to get to the right framework. Dummy was anxiously standing by, carrying a fire-extinguisher as if his life depended on it.

"Sir, dinner will be ready in approximately one minute and fourteen seconds."

Tony turned off the welder, the flame snuffing out instantly. From the corner of his eye, he saw Dummy standing dangerously close and holding a familiar object in its metal hand. "No, Dummy, no. Be a good boy and put it down. No, just _put it down_." He coaxed the little robot to set the extinguisher down before raising his voice in a more serious, yet still affectionate, tone. "Now go and stand in the corner. I already told you that I'm not going to burst into flames while welding." The robot let out a defiant sound before lowering its arm. Then it turned around, almost dignified, and went to its corner where it huffed and made a small noise of annoyance.

"Good boy." Tony took off his goggles and placed them on his workbench, next to the car's engine. He looked like a mess with his hair sticking out in odd places and oil and grease spots all over his skin. It generally didn't bother him. It was the price he paid for working hard. There was no way in hell was he going to clean up for a piece of steak in his own damn kitchen.

A mouth-watering and wonderfully aromatic smell greeted him as soon as he reached the vicinity of the kitchen, the kind of fragrance that made one salivate and savour each breath, as if he could taste it just from smelling it. Whatever restaurant Locke had raided, his assistant could be sure that he would find himself returning there for more. Assuming, of course, that the taste of his steak was just as perfect as that alluring smell. Tony's steps brought him to the open doorway of the kitchen and he couldn't believe what he saw once he focused. It had to be an illusion, or some coffee induced hallucination. How many cups did he drink today?

Locke was cooking. No, not just  _cooking_. He was probably preparing one of the best steaks ever, if the smell was an accurate indication. His assistant had a fork in his right hand and his elegant chin was cradled in the other while his elbow rested on the kitchen counter. The sound of sizzling hot meat came from a pan on the stove. There was a bowl of potato salad in the vicinity and a plate with sliced tomatoes, cucumber, and other healthy shit Tony would never eat. What made the scene even more surreal was that Locke was wearing an apron.

Tony decided to break the silence, mostly because he was feeling ravenous by now and certainly not because of seeing Locke lost in thought while wearing an apron. He could have stared at that absurd, yet endearingly cute, scene longer otherwise. "You are cooking? When did you even? No, wait, never mind what I said. Sometimes words just stream out. So, yeah, cooking. Nice." He babbled rather awkwardly.

Loki had not heard a sound, so the sudden voice of Tony Stark had startled him. It almost resulted in him dropping the fork he had been holding. He quickly regained his composure and turned around. "Yes, Stark, I am quite capable of cooking." He paused, briefly. "I was told by Miss Potts that you..." _Tucked me into bed after I..?_  "Handled my sudden shock with care. She recommended that I should return the favour."

The smug engineer left the doorway and stepped closer to Locke. I owe Pepper for this and she knows it. "So you are thanking me? You are a real sweetheart, Highness."

Loki narrowed his eyes at this and shot a glare in Stark's direction, who was too close for the taller man's comfort. He strengthened the hold on his fork and tapped the place where the engineer's heart was hidden beneath glowing technology. The high sound of metal on metal tinkled softly. "I am merely settling a debt, nothing more."

Every detail of Locke's movements made Tony think about the god who had passed, from the glare to the eerily similar way that the other man had tapped his arc reactor. Locke's expression shifted and he turned around, testing one of the juicy steaks on the stove with his fork. Soon, a filled plate was shoved into his hands, and the only look on his assistant's face was one of loose disinterest.

"Enjoy your dinner, Stark." Loki's face held his best serious expression while the shorter man in front of him was smiling.

"What? Are you not eating? Just grab your plate and join me." Tony saw the hesitation flickering in those blue eyes of Locke's, meaning that he was actually contemplating it. His assistant just needed one more small push in the right direction. "I promise, I'll behave."

It would not be that bad having company, even if that company was Stark. After all, he was still repaying the favour, right? "Very well." Loki gave in and prepared a serving of his own and headed off to the dining table. Even though Stark had left the kitchen before him, he was still the first at the table. The other man was going through the insides of the bar, carefully choosing his liquor for the evening. A head of disheveled brown hair shot a look his way.

"Do you want a drink?" Tony asked, again feeling a sense of déjà vu regarding the green-eyed god. He shook it off. He probably had a thing for tall, lean-muscled men that could stare wickedly and look absolutely gorgeous doing so.

"Your offer is appreciated but useless. I do not like to indulge myself in the drinking of spirits." Loki stared at his dinner. There was no use in letting his hard work grow cold. Stark had managed to find a suitable drink for himself and took his seat at the dining table across him, contemplating his own plate with a studied eye. Loki's gaze shifted to the other man, who looked so different, somehow more real than usual. Stark was generally well-dressed even on his worst days, his hair impeccably styled, and even his casual clothing seemed to be chosen with care. However, right now he was anything but - his hair was in messy disarray, his face and arms were grimy from shop work. Even the black wife beater Stark was wearing was grubby and unkempt. His eyes shot to the genius' chest where a blue glow betrayed what lay beneath. Overall, Loki found himself appreciating certain of Stark's features; they made him want something he had denied himself for a long time.

Tony looked up after finishing his dinner and found blue eyes observing him.  _Is Locke checking me out?_  The corner of his mouth lifted in a half smile toward the other man and he noticed Locke's eyes dart back to his empty plate. "You know, that was unexpected talent on my plate here. I might need to tuck you into bed more often, if I get this in return." The small blush of red on Locke's face did not escape his eye. His assistant was definitely blushing faintly. It told him all he needed to know.

_I am, indeed, being checked out._

Instead of trying to formulate a reply to Stark's words, Loki just grabbed his empty plate and stood. He snatched the other man's plate before he could protest against it. Out of all the different situations Loki had gone through after being stripped of his powers and cast out, out of all those raging, very human emotions and feelings dwelling inside him, attraction had to be the worst. Human anger he could manage. Anger was fast and hateful, but burned up so fast. Fear or sadness lasted longer, but could be ignored until they eventually faded. The helplessness and weakness he felt in the beginning was almost gone, too, as even stuck in human form, Loki was a formidable man.

Despite his vehement denial however, the attraction he felt toward a once-loathed enemy only grew, born of lust and awakened by a heated kiss. Perhaps it had been there longer, lying dormant in the far corners of his mind. During the day, and sometimes the night, it came crawling to the surface and pierced his heart like an unforgiving needle. Out of all these different, new, and infuriating emotions he felt, attraction refused to be ignored.

The sound of a chair being pulled aside was followed byfootsteps coming closer, making it painfully clear that Stark had decided to pursue him. Loki abandoned the plates in the sink instead of placing them in the dishwasher, like he normally would have done. He just wanted to get out of the kitchen and back to a place with more space between himself and Tony Stark. A familiar and unwelcome figure in the doorway prevented him from any of the above.

"You were checking me out," Tony stated, voice sure, perhaps even challenging. The hint of a smile played at the corners of his lips.

Loki sighed and rolled his eyes. "Your imagination is getting the better of you, Stark. Now let me pass." He sincerely hoped that the shorter man would give up his antics.

"No, I want an answer. Don't think for a second that I didn't notice. Things like that never pass me by." Tony kept the doorway occupied on purpose. He knew that Locke wanted to slink away again, but he'd be damned if he would let that happen without a struggle. He took a step forward, knowing he would be intruding upon the other man's comfort zone. He gazed directly into Locke's shining blue depths. "You were checking me out back there, weren't you?"

Those intense brown eyes cut into him, implying something dangerous. A hot shiver running up Loki's spine told him  _to get out now_. "I was merely observing, hoping you were finished."

"Oh, no. Don't give me that bullshit." He recognized a change in his assistant, his resolve finally dissolving. "I know what I saw. You blushed and you want me." Tony asserted, a flirtatious lilt apparent in his voice.

"Stark, I firmly believe that the one doing the 'checking out' is  _you._ " By the Nine, the man was testing his patience. Right now, Loki wanted to punch him in the face, almost as much as he wanted to ravish the infuriating man. "Now, I will not say it again.  _Get out of my way_."

"Haven't you learned by now that I always get what I..." There was more to say, but being grabbed by the collar of your shirt kind of blocked those things.

Loki had his hand full of black fabric and a grinning Tony looked up at him. "No, Stark, you want  _me_." He proceeded to draw the aggravating engineer in, hauling the man closer to himself. "You want me  _so_  badly that you are letting yourself dwell in these illusions." The smug grin on the other's face faded. "Convincing yourself that _I_  have a want for you as well."

Slowly, Loki bent his head, letting his lips hover a fraction of an inch above his squirming employer. "Well, I have news for you, Stark." His voice turned to liquid velvet as he brought his lips to the other man's ear and whispered. "Perhaps, if you knelt down and  _begged me for it_ , I would consider giving you a reply."

Tony was a sweaty, crumpled mess in his hands, in no position to do anything more than pant desperately. Even if the other man had a will to fight back now, those brown eyes told Loki that for now he was helpless to do so. With that, he released his grasp on Tony, turned around, and walked off with a certain determination in his footsteps. He would not deign to give the appearance of fleeing. He had not even realized yet that he was beginning to refer to the idiot as Tony instead of Stark.

Tony opened his eyes again after feeling the strong grip let go. His blood surged through his body, gathering in one point only.

_Damn that was... So hot._

He would probably have let himself fall on his knees if Locke had remained a second longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for taking time to read this story, and of course for following or favoriting it.
> 
> Feel free to leave a review, i use them as power snacks.
> 
> Huge amount of thanks to my beta for this chapter, Wampus Dragon and swordmisstress


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> disclaimer: don't own marvel

**Chapter 17**

The next morning, everything returned to its normal routine. Well, as far as "normal" could be used to describe living in the heights of Stark Tower. Fresh coffee was brewed in the very early morning hours by Tony, who was still working in his lab. Even if he wished for sleep, the amount of coffee he'd drunk the day before would not let him, nor would his own excitement settle and decrease long enough for him to feel remotely tranquil. So he continued to work during the long hours of the night, only taking a break at five in the morning to make a fresh batch of the dark, caffeinated liquid.

Work had been wonderful that night, being fuelled by caffeine, a decent meal in his stomach, and a feeling of smug happiness. It made him feel energized enough to work without being interrupted by the sandman. All the fragments of the car's sturdy framework were complete. The only thing left to do was assemble them together into one strong whole. He had fitted the engine in the front part and, as expected, it fit absolutely immaculately. As he glanced at the blueprints floating around him, suspended in mid-air, nothing but a nod of contentment could be given - what he had designed would be sleek and stream-lined; it would attain mind-boggling speed in the blink of an eye. Unlike any other expensive or rare sports car out there, it run without slurping a devastating amount of fuel. It was going to be deadly silent on the road all while running on clean energy.

Pepper was going to love this idea. Not the sports car, but the idea behind it. Of course, she held no love for him driving in it while being in a drunken stupor, and looking back on event, he agreed with her. But speed had never been an issue for him; rather, it was his curse. He loved speed.

"Jarvis, are you ready to move the parts?" Tony asked while a heavy-duty robotic arm carefully removed the engine from its fitting.

"Yes, sir. All parts will be transported downstairs. Arrival and estimated assembly time is approximately one hour and forty-two minutes," announced the ethereal voice, a barely discernible tone of vexation in its voice.

Of course, that caught the creator's attention. "Something wrong there, Jarvis?"

"For once, I would like you to think through your ideas, sir. Transporting them in a service elevator is far from ideal." Jarvis knew he was correct on this matter. How could he not be? Stark should know this as well and somewhere deep down inside the man, he agreed. Given time, Jarvis had learned that humans, especially Stark, never did things in the most practical way. It was as if their adept minds were so stuffed with ideas and various thought processes that they could not see the simple and logical solutions in life.

Tony shrugged the comment off and took his empty mug. "Close down after me, Jarvis. I'm off for breakfast."

"Only breakfast, sir?" echoed Jarvis, who was currently saving all opened files and guiding the car parts downstairs with utmost precision.

"Of course I'm only going for breakfast. Why would you think otherwise?" asked the brown-haired engineer with a grin, knowing exactly what the A.I. wished to convey.

Tony entered the spacious open living room at precisely the same time a certain tall, blonde figure walked in wearing a dark bathrobe. Locke looked well-rested with no dark circles beneath his eyes, but his sandy-haired locks fell in a messy disorderly fashion, betraying the fact that he'd stepped out of bed only moments ago. However, the man's facial expression was different than normal. It looked less like a woman suffering from bad PMS.

"Had a good night's rest, your Highness?" Tony queried.

Locke's sleep-filled eyes glanced lazily towards the familiar voice, but before he could formulate an answer a yawn surfaced, one that he tried unsuccessfully to block from view with his left hand. Slowly, he opened his closed eyes, finally finding his mouth willing to talk. "Yes, I did," he finally answered. Step by step, he moved to the kitchen where upon arriva,l he opened a fridge now filled with a variety of products. He took out a plate of left-over sandwiches from the previous day, intent on not letting these carefully made treats go to waste. Slowly, he shuffled over to the dining table, placing the half-filled sandwich tray on the counter. As he pulled a chair out and sat down, a calloused hand held out a mug of warm coffee with milk, its aroma tingling his sense of smell.

Tony watched long slender fingers curl around the coffee mug and take it out of his hold. His dozy assistant inhaled the fumes curling upwards from the hot beverage before bringing it to his lips for what appeared to be a much-needed drink. Tony felt like he should say something, like good morning or something remotely similar, but he could not bring himself to break the unusually peaceful morning silence between them. Looking at the unruly blonde hair of his assistant, Tony opted for the next best thing. Gently placing his hand on the other man's head, he ruffled the soft irresistible locks.

Unexpectedly, Loki leaned into the comforting touch and sighed. As sudden as its unexpected but welcomed arrival had occurred, the hand left in a flash. Through half-shut eyes, he saw Stark quickly grab one of the sandwiches from the tray before taking a seat as well. Gradually, the course of his own reactions oozed into his mind. Loki all but fully blamed the motion on his half-awake state.

The tall ex-god of mischief and lies was the first to break the silence. "I have sent the corresponding documents, along with your answer, to Miss Potts. She was pleasantly surprised by your choice."

Tony remembered the files he'd been given with three options to choose open to him. He'd carefully looked over them all, comparing their worth for his company, the publicity they would be given, and any personal merit he might have in each option. Everyone wanted his attention for their own gain. Pepper had always carefully arranged each benefit, dinner, or opening night without his input. Locke had done similarly by sorting out the worst of the worst and removing all the bad choices. The difference between Locke and Pepper though was that, at the end, Locke had given Tony three files. He'd given Tony a choice. And well, that was a new experience for the genius.

The first option had been a benefit held at the Museum of Natural History. The raised cash would be used to fund an expedition to some dreadfully uninteresting place he'd never heard of in his life. The evening would be irritatingly boring and filled with meaningless talk and idle chit-chat.

The second was a conference about the impact of machinery on the environment. They would have him stand in the spotlight to give a meaningless, empty introduction speech. This, no doubt, would have been Pepper's choice. So naturally, it was not Tony's.

He chose the third option for a very simple, silly little reason. "Kids are fun. That's why I chose the children's hospital. At least they still know how to have fun, unlike the rest of the adult world, which is filled with a bunch of boring idiots."

"Well Stark, for once, I agree."

Tony cocked an eyebrow. "That kids are fun?"

"No, that people are stupid," answered Loki. His pale face carried a stoic expression like nothing really mattered. A snort escaped from Stark's mouth, followed by a smile and a genuine laugh. Loki could not help feeling rather amused himself.

"All right, I'm glad we agree." Tony did not want to ruin their good mood, but felt he had no other option. "Right now, I have other pressing matters for you to deal with." His tall assistant's half-smile that had been playing on his beautiful lips quickly faded at Tony's upcoming news. "Steve and Bruce are coming over tomorrow; it's an Avenger's national security sort of thing. They are staying here, so I need you to arrange rooms for them downstairs. Since there is a lack of furniture…" Tony stopped the waterfall of words streaming out his mouth and looked to Locke, hoping for a sign of positive reaction.

"Only Steve Rogers and Bruce Banner?" he asked with clear discomfort.

"Well, Thor is off with his scientist girlfriend for now and who knows where Legolas and Natasha are. I've designated a room for each of them when they eventually arrive. I also took the opportunity of having Jarvis sort out their personal preferences so that all you need to know is already on your laptop."

Loki felt a twitch forming in the corner of his eye, one obtained by pure aggravating annoyance. Heimdall was watching this. No doubt he and the other "gods" of Asgard were currently laughing at Loki and his fate. The God of Chaos, Mischief, and Lies reduced to this? He could do nothing to prevent the other Avengers from living here. Even worse was the fact that he would be made to live with Thor again. "Very well. It's not like I have a choice in the matter."

Tony honestly felt surprised regarding his assistant's answer. For reasons unknown, he'd expected a verbal tug of war from the man over this "invasion of privacy."

"Okay, glad that's out of the way," Stark said hesitantly as he rose from his chair. A part of Tony wanted to stay and keep Locke company; another part told him that this was an unwise choice and he should opt for getting the hell out before the shit hit the fan. Eyeing the stiff, darkening look on his assistant's face, Tony made the right choice and stood up. Yet he could not help the rush of guilt travelling through his body and he thought a small gesture of kindness might be appropriate.

"I'm going back to work. If you need anything, ask Jarvis." Big blue orbs stared at him with ruthless beauty and hot anger. "Locke?" Stark knew very well that he was the reason behind the shift in Loki's demeanour. He focused on the taller man, waiting for the outburst, but was surprised when his usually uninhibited and furious anger stayed at bay.

Loki had always known that sooner or later he would have to come face to face with the other Avengers eventually…and with Thor. It just happened to be sooner rather than the later he had hoped. This could even be seen as his own fault - his failure had led the Chitauri to scouting the nine realms. His failure had led those filthy creatures to Midgard and they were utterly persistent in their chase. He simply no longer had the will to feel such violent emotions regarding his fate. His mood spiraling downward rapidly, he replied, "What is it, Stark?"

With this, an ominous grin grew on the engineer's face. Tony saw the recognition dawn on Locke's face. It was a familiar, teasing, and devilish emotion that Locke had come to know all too well. "Honestly, I just wanted to give you a really good morning."

Loki's eyebrow arched. Had Stark not already wished him a pleasant morning and day, even greeting him as he did so while decimating anything "good" about the upcoming day after their shared meal? He saw no way for the other man to redeem himself after his awful news. Creating a second pleasing start was not an option according to Loki's calculations. Yet those glinting brown orbs stared intensely at him, telling him otherwise, while crossing the distance between them.

God, Tony loved seeing the emotions play out in Locke's blue eyes and witnessing all the thoughts flickering to life within them. Those orbs tried their utmost best at conveying an urgent message, but before it had any chance to reach its destination, Tony gave his reply, "With a kiss." His assistant's instant reaction was priceless. Jarvis had better save this footage because Tony would pay a small fortune for the opportunity to watch it on replay if only once.

Loki's eyes widened in sudden realization and his expression was reminiscent of a deer staring into the headlights of oncoming truck. The taller man skittishly looked around for an escape, but there was none and he was already plastered against the backside of the chair, pinned in place between Stark's arms. He looked like a dangerous animal in confinement, realizing there was no escape possible from where this situation was heading. As much as Loki wanted to hurt the brown-haired engineer, his body did not appear against this idea; rather it seemed to crave it.

Loki turned his head to face Stark, his vicious, defiant blue eyes looking up and catching the other man in their enthralling gaze. For the second time in that tumultuous week, a kiss was placed upon him. Oh, those lips that caught him. They were so soft and demanding, sending an alarming shiver up through his spine and stirring up long forgotten or ignored parts deep within him. The friction of those lips locked in battle was dreadfully delicious. A rough calloused hand caressed the curve of his long, pale neck and settled itself on the back of his head, nestling between his golden locks. That hand pulled him closer and closer, urging him to give in to his desires, that touch sent him sailing with a frightening want and a need for further heated touches and affection. Swept away by his rising emotions and combined with the teasing of a slick, skilled tongue begging for entrance, Loki caved. He granted the demanding appendage what it wanted and give into something finally admitted he wanted as well.

Their tongues met in an all-devouring havoc and Loki noted that Anthony Stark tasted bittersweet, like his coffee. Those warm brown eyes were now filled to the brim with lust, yet Loki felt that the other man was holding back. That was unacceptable, for no man should withhold anything from a god. As Stark tried to pull away, reaching out for a breath of fresh air, Loki's teeth caught his bottom lip and pale fingers clutched messy brown hair, making the other gasp out in a hiss. He nibbled on the man's reddened, kiss-worthy lips as his blood slowly set its course toward his nether regions.

Tony was lost as his plan began failing. Where had this gorgeous, poisonous man been hiding all his life? A hot hungry mess of teeth and tongue trailed down his neck while surprisingly strong hands pulled hard but carefully on his hair. Still set on his course of action, Tony planted a knee against Locke's chair, sliding it forward slowly.

Loki was fully aware of everything he did to the other man. His lust was like a blaze inside him. His want burned for something he had not had in a long time and was growing steadily every second. For now, there were no regrets as he bathed in the sensation that was his current priority. He found a soft, clean spot on Stark's neck - one not sullied by motor oil or sweat—a tiny pure spot on the otherwise sweaty, panting man in front of him. He bit down, sucking on the skin to leave a fierce mark. Loki looked back up in time to notice a smug grin on Anthony Stark's face, alerting him to the fact that something was not going the way  _he_  wanted it.

Tony caught those blue eyes filled to the brim with a delirious glare. Just a nudge more and his knee was where he needed it to be. Locke was still pinned to the chair underneath one of his arms, a bewildered mess to behold. That final nudge came along with a grin signaling that Tony now held the upper hand. Locke's head lolled back at the sudden pressure on his groin. Instantly, his assistant released his hold on Tony, eyelids fluttered at the aggravating strain and his mouth parted in a silent moan. The tides had turned and Locke no longer held the upper hand.

"Oops, look at the time. I really should be working now. Sorry." Tony casually removed his knee and arms from the chair, leaving Locke staring at him with half-lidded, confused eyes.

"What?" Loki managed to stumble out between erratic breaths.

"You better get back to work too. There's still a lot to do." With that, Tony turned and headed to the garage, knowing full well that there was a shitload of work to take his mind off Locke…for now. Twice, his assistant had left him longing for more. First, with a hot, passionate kiss and second, with a desire-laced, velvet voice. Never before had a well-articulated sentence sounded so seductive. This was supposed to be Tony's sweet, long-awaited revenge, but it didn't go entirely as planned.

Walking away wasn't the only hard thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you lovely readers for taking time to read this story, i know that you guys are always patiently waiting for update's.
> 
> Feel free to leave a review, as always those things are brain-food.
> 
> And last but not least big thanks to sinister banana and swordmisstress for being the betas!


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is were the M rating kicks in, don't like it don't read it!.

**Chapter 18**

There were countless instances in which Loki's life could have been described as bad, not to mention devastating, excruciating, and, of course, horrible. He had lived for ages in the shadows of others. Their eyes had betrayed the surging hate they felt toward him, hate that was poorly hidden under a thin veneer of false kindness, ever so visible to the God of Lies. He had been tormented, haunted, and punished, sometimes for days or weeks, every now and then, for mere seconds that seemed to last for ages.

Never before had any torture he endured tasted so sweet as this maddening heat. It lay on the surface of his being, veiled and waiting, prowling until appropriate prey came into its sights, so that it could launch a devastating assault upon the body, letting him know who truly had control. Lust was  _not_  to be taunted, let that be known. Once it had its cruel sights set on someone, it refused to be removed from the dark corridors of the mind, not until it had had its wanton way with the spoils its sights were set on claiming.

Loki feared this all-consuming want. He loathed the slow but obvious desire spreading its way inside him. He wanted to cover his ears and close his eyes, to hide from its beckoning voice and sight. Yet at the same time, he craved it, needed it to take over his body, if only to tell himself the hopeless lie that it was not really his doing, that lust was to blame for the desire he felt for Anthony Stark. This thought had been haunting the limits of sanity all day long. It interfered with the efficiency with which he normally worked. It reduced his ancient, knowledge-filled brain to a mere shadow, a warm puddle of grey matter and nothing more. It was wondrous that he had managed to get all of his work done, and on time, in spite of everything, especially given the fact that he was currently arranging furnished rooms for people who had been hunting him since they day he set foot on Midgard - enemies of the former Number One Threat to the nation, the heroes that "saved" Midgard from his rule.

Yet here he sat, staring at perfectly arranged floor plans, printed out so that the movers knew where to assemble and place the furniture. At least he did not have to share a bedroom on this floor with any of them, he had made sure of that. There was no lack of space in the top floors of Stark Tower. Each of those supposed heroes had their own spot. One floor below this, near the gym that was installed half a year ago, were the rooms designated to Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton. There was a small, often unused lab on the floor below. It needed no saying that it was going to be fully equipped by the end of tomorrow; anything for one of Stark's best "science" buddies, who was nothing but a mindless, uncontrollable beast if angered. Bruce Banner would share that floor with Thor, whose room had conveniently-placed windows that could slide open like doors. If one considered the settings of these rooms, looking at their arrangements and the well thought out plans for their placement, it was as if Stark had deliberately rebuilt them just to suit the needs of each Avenger.

If this was true, then Loki had been doomed since the day he signed the contract with Pepper.

Living this one human life, a mere breath of air compared to the otherwise endless ages, a slow death-sentence of growing older and wasting away - this could prove to be harder than immortality. All these emotions eating and clawing at his heart, striving for attention, they left him stranded, confused, like a newborn babe experiencing the world for a first time. None of these over-active human feelings had left him as devastated as the pure relentlessness of craving for touch, to feel bare skin tremble beneath the palms of his hand, to make it shiver in utter delight, to have another being scream his name loudly in the throes of passion. Loki envisioned warm, brown eyes looking up at him, an expression of ecstasy in them, begging for release.

What a horribly wonderful mistress imagination was, giving him what he most hated only to make him need it more every passing day. To think that these Midgardians lived with it, a thing so utterly normal they never considered it cruel. Loki clenched his fists together in tangible frustration, torn between his brain and his body telling him completely different things. It had been so long ago that someone had wanted him or even  _looked_  at him with something in their eyes other than pity or hate. It had been even longer since Loki himself had wanted another, had looked at a man or women with passion hot in his blood. Now that he did once more, it left him bereft of all senses but one.

Loki had taken to bed early, willing himself to sleep. Tossing and turning in discomfort as these thoughts raced in his mind, sleep was too distant to actually catch. He had not seen Stark around dinner. The man had been oddly absent since that morning. Could the engineer possibly regret his course of action? No, that was out of the question, the heated look in those brown eyes told Loki otherwise. Then what was it? Why had he not seen Stark all day?

_Why am I even asking myself this? Loki, you fool, when did you fall to such depths?_

He wanted to forget and dull his heightened senses. The ex-deity rose from his bed, pacing around in his room like a caged animal, before he ultimately decided to trade the expanses of his quarters for the living room. If he was to be stuck on this forsaken place as a Midgardian, living out his small breath of life, then he might as well choose the traditional way, for both Midgardians and Asgardians, it would seem, of getting over everything around him. Loki had not received his offered drink from Stark before, so long ago, so he figured he might as well take it now.

* * *

"Sir, it seems that dinner has been prepared."

A loud clang of metal on metal resounded and Tony did not even look up from his work. "Not now, Jarvis, I'm on a roll." The stubborn engineer was so engrossed in his work that hunger had not even touched his fully occupied brain for a second. Only incessant creativity combined with passionate brilliance filled him now. His only option was to lose himself in work, or possibly explode. So Jarvis' first call was ignored.

The second call was almost not ignored.

"Sir, you have gone without food for over twelve hours. It's past ten and you need to replenish," called out Jarvis, sounding almost like a stern mother hen.

Tony considered it. He certainly was hungry enough to eat a horse, but he would have to eat alone, a prospect he really did not look forward to anymore. Knowing how Locke liked his sleep, the other man would have retired to his own room by now, probably still in a state of perplexed anger, confusion or want. More likely? A dangerous mix of all three. He had loved seeing that deliriously yearning look on the man's face this morning. His daydreams had held no comparison to the reality at all. This is why Tony decided that, for now, he would vent out his frustration by working. He would crash down sooner or later when his body decided it could go on no longer.

The third call could not be ignored. It was so utterly confusing that at first he could nothing but blink in disbelief.

"Sir, Locke has opened your Macallan Single Malt Whiskey."

_Am I hearing this wrong?_  "Could you repeat that, Jarvis?"

"I need to correct myself?"

"You can't be wrong, Jarvis; you're never wrong." Tony said, mildly perplexed, yet still highly interested in the A.I.'s words.

"How kind of you to tell me I am never wrong. This has been recorded for future use."

"Just tell me what is going on up there?" Tony had already crept out from under the car's frame. He removed the safety goggles and stored the large welder, if tossing it somewhere on the table could be called storing.

"Currently, Locke is drinking your Macallan Single Malt Whiskey. The one that is over sixty years old."

_Well I'll be damned, the man actually drinks. Wait a minute...what?_  "You mean to tell me, that for no apparent reason at all, Locke has opened one of the most rare whiskeys in the world. Not to mention expensive, not that  _I care_  about expensive, but this I have to see." With that, all ideas of work were thrown out the window, because for the love of God, he could not imagine Locke drinking. It was as absurd as Locke smiling with joy. Which he almost had done. Once.

It was darker than normal, the dimmed lights only illuminated the base contours of the spacious living room, casting heavy shadows. The city's lights shone brightly through the windows, providing enough light to see his assistant's brooding figure standing beside the bar. Tony's nearing presence was not acknowledged. Locke just stood there with an already empty glass, a few drops on the edge betraying it had been full just short moments ago. Tony grabbed the heavy tumbler from the cabinet for himself. He decided that they both should enjoy this luxurious drink and that the man ignoring him so fervently could use another shot of the rich, honey-coloured liquid.

Tony never asked. He just refilled his assistant's drink without a word coming from his normally rather loud mouth. A head sporting disheveled bed hair turned around, dark blue eyes looking at him, glazed over with the same emotion they had emitted this morning, only strengthened by the quickly emptied glass of alcohol. "Thought you could use another."

* * *

He was wrong. He rarely was wrong, but still, he was wrong now. This drink had done nothing for him. Loki had seen men laugh and express childlike joy because of these poisonous liquids. He had seen them forget each domain in the Nine Realms. Some merely grew tired and fell asleep. All forgot their troubles for a moment. Perhaps it was always him who was meant to be the unlucky one. The newly-filled glass was emptied with eagerness, the golden drink burning slowly down his throat. Loki waited patiently, but nothing happened until he turned around to face the illuminated cityscape.

His feet were unwilling and his vision was clouded over. He caught himself on the edge of the bar in his dizziness. Now he understood why Volstagg always ended up falling from his chair after a enough pints of mead. This whiskey was strong and heavy in flavor, more than the mead they drank on daily basis, mead he never drank because it muddied the senses. A familiar sound announced the worst possible outcome for this evening - Anthony Stark had decided to emerge from his workshop.

His brain soon started replaying the scene of that morning, ever so slowly and with excrutiating clarity. Touches were felt as if they were happening this very instant, mixing dangerously with the alcohol burning a pathway through his body. His thoughts about inebriation had been wrong; his pain hadn't been reduced to a dull ache in the background as it should have been. Everything felt vibrantly more alive right now. It was exiting, thrilling, and dangerounsly uncontrollable. It scared the  _hell_  out of him to feel and still he longed for more, just thinking was no longer enough. He heard glass tinkling softly as more of the whiskey was being poured. Even though he had not requested it, his drink was full again. Loki's turned his head and slowly devoured each and every inch of Anthony Stark's form with his eyes before zeroing in on those autumn brown eyes. Resolve was settling and had taken root deep down inside him. If he was to be doomed, then he might as well have his ending sweet and covered in sweat.

"Thought you could use another..." Tony said quietly, gazing at the shadows playing on Locke's face. They made it seem more angular, regal even. If he did not know, with absolute certainty, that this man in front of him was very real and very human, he might have made the mistake of calling him Loki. But these eyes were blue, not verdant green, and those shadows only played tricks with the things he wanted.

Loki brought the cold glass to his lips, reducing the refilled drink by a substantial portion. Tony was close, close enough for Loki to let the other man's scent fill his nostrils, a curious mixture of oil, coffee, sweat, and a hint of musk. It drew him toward the edge and falling was only a matter of time. "Do me one favor, Anthony Stark," Loki said, moving at an excruciatingly slow pace. He moistened his bottom lip with a slip of his tongue before he spoke once again, knowing that he held the undivided attention of his employer now. "Remember, in the morning, that I still hate you."

Tony had no response and he gave no promise. In fact, he did not manage to utter a single word before a hungry, skilled mouth covered his with desperate abandon. He knew that every touch, sound, smell, or taste would be worth engraving in his mind. Two strong hands settled on his hips, pushing him against the bar while a fierce tongue demanded entrance to the cavern of his mouth. Tony gave in so easily, letting Locke raid his mouth like a starved man and drawing a low moan from him.

That rough sound vibrated through their bodies sending shudders to their cores. Loki discovered he liked the taste of the infuriating bastard, Anthony Stark, who was giving himself over to his assistant as if it was the most natural thing. His trickster tongue now played a torturous game, twisting and turning relentlessly, not giving the other a chance of mercy or a shot at fighting back. The calloused hand of a worker slid around his neck, clawing at his hair in feral pleasure. Loki squeezed the the other man's waist at this, stifling a groan of his own. He pulled back from Anthony's wanton mouth, slowly sucking the engineer's tongue as he left. His pale hands crept up the body in front of him, lifting the edges of the oil-smeared wife beater that Stark was wearing. The other man shivered at the caress of his cold hands as the night's air brushed naked flesh. The shirt was lifted over the man's head and thrown uncaring to the side.

Tony hissed lightly as that same venomous mouth that had been toying with his was now kissing and sucking the expanse of his neck. A hand was placed on his back, the other trailing a curious finger along the edges of the arc reactor. His movements had made the robe Locke was wearing come undone, revealing parts of his pale, sculpted chest. Tony let his free hand move to pull on the binding that was barely holding the garment together, letting it fall open. His eyes gleamed as they roamed over the definitively male body in front of him in lustful appreciation. Never before had he thought that a man's touch could send him into madness like this. Never before had he ever envisioned himself  _doing_  this. But God, he wanted it so badly right now. The firm hand on the small of his back pulled their bodies together; a wicked mouth nipped at his collarbone, tasting his skin as if it was to be savoured.

Loki was pleased with the wriggling mess he was making out off the engineer. His own desire flared every time he made Anthony gasp for breath. Those delicious almost silent moans were not enough. Loki wanted,  _needed_  more. He craved to hear the most embarrassing noises, to hear Anthony Stark scream underneath him. His hips pressed teasingly against the other man, making their needs rise further with the maddening friction.

"Fuck!" Tony cursed, feeling Locke's grin forming, his hot, ragged breath brushing his skin. That sinful mouth moved to his ear and a feeling of déjà vu presented itself in the back of his lust-addled brain. His assistant's burning tongue trailed along the shell his ear, making the hairs of his skin rise in anticipation. Tony rolled his hips, wanting to feel that earlier friction, and a whimper escaped his mouth as he found nothing but air.

A tremulous, velvet voice whispered in his ear, making his earlier thoughts come to life. "Perhaps, if you begged and kneeled for me Stark, I would consider this... _request_  of yours."

Every fiber in Tony's being was sending out warning signals but those were made obsolete because Tony couldn't even focus enough to breathe properly. Icy blue opals bore down on him, daring him to give in, to submit.  _As if I have a choice left_. Tony Stark dropped to his knees before the man that tormented his thoughts, undoing his own trousers as he hit the carpet.

Certainly, Tony had to be doing something right from the get go, judging by the audible gasp he heard from Locke when he hesitantly licked along the length of the man's cock with the flat of his tongue. Whatever actions he performed came from years of experience being on the other end. He merely tried to mimic the movements he enjoyed himself, wanting to draw more of those lovely noises from his rather well-endowed assistant. Enjoying the fact that he currently seemed to have the upper hand, he held the base steady with his hand while swirling his tongue around the tip, a trick that had always sent him reeling to the edges of insanity.

These enthusiastic attentions had Loki throwing back his head and moaning aloud, involuntarily thrusting into Stark's very warm mouth. He could end himself in that welcoming cavern, especially given the ardor Stark was showing. Loki had his hands buried in short, soft hair, its owner languidly repeating the same sucking action that was driving him wild. Gradually, Loki was losing control. If this pace continued then his only option would be to grip the man's head roughly and ride out his lust between those shameless lips.

"Stark." There was no immediate reaction. The engineer's head still bobbed on his rigid cock as defiant eyes looked up at him with expectancy. Loki knew what the other wanted to hear. A name. His name. "Aaann..." Loki moaned softly as that teasing tongue worked wonders. "Anthony..."

Tony gave his assistant's length one more leisurely lick before he withdrew and looked up. "Nice to know you finally learned my name, although I'd rather be called Tony," he said, voice rough and thick with desire.

"Cease your prattle," Loki growled, pulling Tony upright. "I am granting your request." Reddened lips were on his again and Loki delved into that mouth for all it was worth, tasting the other man who now carried a hint of a different flavor - himself. With a shrug, the robe slid off his shoulders, falling in a heap on the ground beneath his feet. The ex-god squeezed Stark's rock-hard arousal through the fabric of his jeans, then slid into the opened fly to palm the hot flesh. Soon the pants dropped to the floor entirely, leaving naught but two bare bodies drowning in a sea of lascivious pleasure.

Tony was a wordless mess of hot, smoldering flesh ready to be conquered. Locke loomed over him, demanding hands curling over his ass as long, slender fingers trailed along the cleft of his backside, evident in their want. A skilled mouth nibbled on the sensitive spots of his neck while he rolled his hips to rub their arousals together. Their surroundings slowly started to make sense. Tony had been in this very same position plenty of times before, though never as the passive party. He knew where Locke was leading him to as he was shoved against the back of the bar. Tony's hands fumbled, trying to pry open a slide door of the bar behind him. A finger circling around the tight, untried entrance to his body made him slightly anxious as Tony quickly found what he was looking for. Being a known playboy had its advantages. "Wait!" he gasped.

Loki hissed. "Do not tell me what to do, Anthony. It is far too late for that." Wicked hands moved from the engineer's ass to reach around and grip his length firmly.

"I...hnnnnnnn." Tony never finished his last coherent thought, moaning as he pressed a small bottle of lube against Locke's chest, conveying his message while his previously ignored sex got all the attention it could possibly desire. Thankfully, the not-so-subtle hint was taken. After Locke had coated his fingers with a seemingly adequate volume of the cold slick, the bottle was shoved back into his hands and that exploring digit returned to its point of origin, burying itself deep into Tony's tight hole. The engineer bit his lip at the foreign sensation inside him. Soon, another determined finger was added, trying to stretch him open for what was to come.

Tony used the rest of the bottle of lube to coat Locke's thick sex, making the taller man hum with satisfaction as he left a trail of swift kisses on Tony's bare flesh. Feeling Locke's growing frustration, Tony tried to brace himself as those fingers scissored a last time, the impatience and need palpable. He was turned around to face the bar more forcefully than he would have preferred as the cool, slick head of Locke's arousal settled itself against his slightly loosened pucker. Nothing could have prepared him for the moment Locke surged forward, burying himself in one ruthless motion. Tony let out a hiss of pain and tensed up.

Those tightening muscles were absolutely maddening for Loki, almost uncomfortable. " _Relax_ , Stark."

"That's easy for you to say!" Tony hissed out at the burning sensation. "You get to do the easy part...it hurts like hell." He still tried to relax.

"You have never?" Realization sank in for Loki: Tony Stark had never been intimate with another man. It was strange for a person as overly flirtatious as the irritating engineer to have no experience in this. "Ignorant fool, don't think I'll spare you now." He shifted within the tight confines of the clenching body.

"I asked for this myself. Just start  _moving_ , you cold bastard!" Tony said, biting back another hiss as Locke retreated and rocked back into him. True to his word, his assistant did not spare him, but soon enough the pain dulled. Other sensations were mingling with it, making it far more thrilling with each thrust. Before long, Tony was panting and sweating as their bodies collided, a powerful push nudging a certain sensitive spot. Tony succumbed to mad pleasure as spots clouded his vision, crying out, "Mooo...rree... FUCK!"

Loki willingly complied, adding a little bit of extra force to his already hard, fast rhythm. Hands pinned Tony's hips, trying to stop the engineer from moving too much. His hungry mouth sucked on the skin of the shorter man's shoulder desperately, causing wanton, shameless screams and moans to pour out of Anthony Stark's mouth, sounds that made Loki moan in response. The unmerciful pace continued, their bodies colliding in shameless, burning bliss, reduced to nothing more than rutting, debauched creatures.

A powerful flash of white crossed his vision, sending Tony over the edge. " LO...aaaaaaah!"

The voice crying out his name, combined with a twitching sheath around him, unmade Loki, and he came in an explosion of reckless passion. Both of them waited, panting, gasping out for desperately needed air, riding out the last tremors of their orgasms. The ex-god lay heavily against the body he had pinned to the counter. Spent and satisfied, yet extremely tired, Loki wanted nothing more than to sleep now. Before he had any actual say in the matter, his body made the choice for him, and he dozed off, his forehead resting on Tony's shoulder.

Tony turned around and let the half-concious body of Locke lean against him. They were both emptied, wrung out, and in desperate need of sleep. Somewhere along the way, Tony decided that he might as well drag both of them to the nearest bedroom. A shower could wait till the next day since a soft bed was far more beckoning and inviting. Both of them crawled beneath the covers on their own accord, Locke drowsily shifting against his still warm back. A heavy arm slung around him, pinning Tony down into the position of the little spoon, something he could handle for the time being. Not like he had many options.

"Hey Locke?"

Loki was only half aware of a question being asked. "Hmmmmm?"

"Great sex."

Loki only hummed in reply.

"I'm not sorry to have almost hit you with my car. At all." It had been so long since he had last felt this drained and fulfilled, he had not even minded showing his arc reactor, a sight not many have ever seen. Even fewer had spent a night in the same bed with him after he had gotten what he wanted. "Anything you're not sorry for, Locke?"  _Like screwing my brains out?_

"...Hmmmm yeah.." It was a hazy and slow, but an answer nontheless. "I am not sorry I defenestrated you," the reply mumbled by a half-asleep, unaware Loki.

Tony raised his eyebrow at the strange choice of words. Who even spoke like that these days except people quoting Shakespeare? Slowly, the feeling of danger he had been having for days came rearing its ugly head. Locke had never thrown him out of a window so why would he...?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> big thanks goes out to Wampus Dragon and swordmisstres for being the betas for this chapter!!!!!
> 
> It was the hardest thing i had to write so far, no pun intended.
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> Never in my life had i expected to get so many positive reactions from you lovely readers.
> 
> The amount of reviews, followers and favoriters had my mind in a twist.
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> Especially considering this was me nonchalantly trying to improve my English in the beginning.
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> Thinking that it was going to be a short story, boy i was wrong :p
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> Silly old me.
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> I would like to thank each and everyone for you for taking the time to read.
> 
> Feel free to leave a tasty review, those things are my brains dinner.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Would life ever be remotely peaceful or even halfway normal for Tony Stark? Was trouble ever going to cease in its attempts to just casually fuck with his life when everything finally seemed okay? Tony always guessed that if there were such a thing as fate, karma, or destiny, it would probably take the form of a scorned ex-lover who was hell-bent on getting her sweet revenge. If an incalculable force like that was real, then perhaps it could offer an explanation for this insane situation: Tony lay in a bed that was not his own, awake after a few hours of unsettled, dreamless sleep. The great Tony Stark had been reduced to being the little spoon. A warm, heavy arm hugged his waist and another man's head nestled in the crook of his neck in deep slumber.

And a low, soft rumble betrayed that, yes, gods did, in fact, snore. Fate was a crazy bitch with a cackling laugh that would put any super-villain to shame. But the sleeping man didn't look like the crazy, brooding diva that the god of mischief and lies was.

Is?

 _Used_  to be?

Locke—or rather, Loki—acted like any antisocial, stoic asshole who was severely sick and wounded. In one heated flare of anger, Loki had tried to strangle him while still in the hospital, but exhaustion and fever had quickly rid the man of any strength. The once-powerful god was now nothing more than an injured and angry human. Tony couldn't even find it within himself to hold the ex-god accountable for his actions at the hospital. Hell, if the same situation happened to him, Tony probably would've responded in the same fashion.

So far, the worst thing done by the ex-god was switching Tony's coffee with the horrendous green herbal tea—a dreadful, distasteful poison for Tony and any other self-respecting person. Loki had also hidden the truth about himself by gathering an alias and altering his looks, but that was also to be expected. He was, without a doubt, still handsome; certainly alluring enough to catch Tony's eye.

The man was lies and mischief. Nothing more.

Still… could he count on him to remain healthy and sane? What were the odds that he'd go batshit crazy in the near future? Tony bet his fortune that Loki, even without the aid of his godly magic, was a force to be reckoned with and capable of much more than a simple herbal tea switch. But Tony was still alive, very much so judging by the sting of pain he felt in his backside, and that was something to be said. Loki had the chance to rip out the power source keeping him alive last night. Hell, Loki had been presented plenty of opportunities to destroy him since coming to live at Stark Tower. The ex-god could've poisoned that well-grilled steak he'd cooked him the other night for all he knew.

A clear picture sprang to Tony's mind, caused by his incessant, running imagination. It had been  _Loki_  cooking dinner for him - his former madness-filled enemy wearing an apron and doing something extremely domestic. When Locke had those half-formed smiles on his face caused by one of Tony's remarks, the engineer had thought it a beautiful, perhaps even adorable, expression. And it had been Loki all along.

 _Shit. Fucking adorable, smiling bastard crawling under my skin._  Tony still wanted to see that face wearing a full and bright smile; one free of insanity.

Next to him, Loki stirred and his slow, soft snore stopped. He took a deep breath in and out, the air brushing the skin of Tony's neck, giving him goose-bumps wherever it touched. Loki turned again, snuggling into the warmth of Tony's body. Another one of the engineer's unasked questions suddenly received an answer. It appeared that gods also suffered morning wood.

Slowly, Loki started to awaken from a good night's sleep. He wanted nothing more than to stay in his dream-like state, enveloped in the comforting warmth and softness of his bedding. He felt well-rested and at ease against the warm human body beside him and he instinctively reached out for it.

Wait. There was a person next to him. In his bed. Sleeping under the same covers!

Groggily, he opened his eyes. Sleep still clouded his vision, but Loki could only think of one person who had the audacity to enter his quarters. "Stark, what are you doing? Moreover, why are you in  _my bed_?" A hint of red crossed his face as Loki realised the position and their current state of undress.

Tony wondered what one should say to a moody ex-god after unexpectedly being found in his bed. "What do you remember from last night?" Better to play it safe and not call out any of the man's names. Who knew what Loki remembered from the previous night? Tony saw a deep frown playing on the liesmith's face. The ex-god rolled over to the other side of the bed, putting some distance between them. Tony frowned at the loss of warmth. "Need a hint there, Highness?" Tony asked, treading into possibly dangerous foreign waters.

Loki rose and sat on the edge of the bed, naked as a newborn babe. The smell of sweat and sex clung heavily in the surrounding air telling him all he needed to know. No wonder he felt so rested and relaxed, even his mood seemed lighter than normal. The events of the previous night came flooding back to him, filling his mind with memories and images of their primal struggle. He could not, unfortunately, remember walking to his room with or without the brown-haired engineer. "How did I end up here?"

"I dragged your half-sleeping ass here. And I do have a name. Remember using it?"

Much to his shame, he did remember calling out that name. This certainly presented a new level of awkward. "How did you end up here…Anthony?"

"You decided that I should become your little spoon," Tony remarked with a slight smirk.

Loki turned his head, a recognisable glare on his face. "I don't see what spoons have to do with this." He retorted, not linking their sleeping position to Tony's comment.

The mischief maker did not remember their small but revealing chat. Tony didn't know if this was a blessing or a curse, but he sincerely hoped for the former. He took a risk and answered the question as if it had been Locke asking. "You like to cuddle and you claimed me as your personal human pillow and stove. I couldn't get out of your death grip even if I wanted." Loki's glare faded, making way for embarrassment. Sometimes taking risks paid off. "Oh, and you snore."

Loki ignored any further ramblings coming from Stark's mouth. Instead, he got out of bed, firmly telling himself that Stark's words were a lie and he did not snore. Or cuddle. He didn't even like to be held or to hold another person. Those actions were nothing but useless sentiment. "I am going to the bathroom and then to clean myself. It is not a suggestion when I tell you to do the same. You simply reek vile." That last part was a lie. Deep down, he enjoyed smelling his own scent on Stark.

At least the 'non-suggestion' was a good one. Loki had a point that both of them smelled horrible. Tony figured he could use a shower, though not only to wash away the smell. He was sticky and sore all over. Carefully, he rose from the bed and a shot of hot pain stung him with every movement. He definitely needed painkillers. Still, he had suffered much worse pain from injuries received while on-duty as Iron Man, though none of them were quite like this. Before he exited Loki's bedroom, the man's voice called out from the bathroom.

"And don't forget to make my coffee!"

Tony rolled his eyes. As if he would ever forget to make his assistant's coffee.

 

* * *

 

 

Steve Rogers showed up early, if one could call eleven in the morning early. In the soldier's mind, that was considered late. Tony knew from previous experience that his friend had a habit of getting up extremely early. The broad-shouldered hero had once shown up at half past six on his doorstep feeling guilty for things he'd said earlier on the helicarrier. Really, the engineer didn't even care about that anymore, but the blonde soldier insisted he make up for it. Ever since that day, Steve had shown up now and then in the mornings. Tony let him come and go, but only under the condition that he never arrived at half-past six again.

Steve was there, holding a large duffel bag over his shoulder and trying to not get in the way of the few hired workers moving furniture. "Really, Tony, I can help."

"Relax, Steve. Sit down and have a drink. Life isn't all about work, even for people like you," said Tony, all but sinking into the large couch in the middle of the living room. Tony had decided that today should be all about comfort. He was so sore he couldn't even work in the lab, let alone on his current project. That really got on his nerves; he was only mere hours away from its completion.

Steve raised a finger to argue.

"No 'buts,' Steve." Because there would be a lot of 'buts' by the Captain if there was work to be done. No matter how small and insignificant the job, Soldier Boy wanted to aid. Tony thought it was something Steve really needed to stop doing. "Why don't you give it a rest and get the rest of your stuff from that dark shed you call an apartment."

"It served its purpose," stated the blonde man. He received a doubtful look from Tony that clearly said, ' _Really? Are you serious_?' Steve shrugged and admitted, "Okay, I felt like a canned sardine in there. Happy now? And this…" He grabbed the heavy bundle he carried on his shoulder and put it down on the ground as if it were as light as a feather. "…is all my stuff."

"No way that's all your stuff. Where's your secret stash of porn, Cap?" goaded the brown-haired genius, a smirk on his face as he lifted his coffee mug.

"I do not have pornography, Tony Stark. We're not all like you," answered Steve, slightly bit proud of himself for not stumbling over his words or turning tomato-red.

"Oh yeah, I forgot. You know how to use the internet." Tony gave his friend a lewd wink. "Good for you, Cap."

"Shouldn't you be working? Tinkering away on some kind of mechanical thing in your lab?" The blonde tried to redirect the conversation and steer it away from the current subject.

"I'm giving myself a well-deserved break," Tony said with a bright smile.

"You're lying. Whatever you were cooking up in your work space had you absorbed for days. It doesn't make sense for you to just lie around here," Steve retorted, making the casual remark based on Tony's normal habits and quirks. He suddenly eyed his friend in worry and suspicion. "You're not hurt, are you?"

 _Shit, I bet he wants an answer, too_. How could he respond to that? He definitely was "hurting," there was no denying that. So what the hell did he say to his friend? From the corner of his eye, he saw Loki enter the room, carrying some files and heading in their direction. "I ummm…"

Steve followed Tony's eyes and noticed his assistant standing a few feet away. Perhaps Locke would answer his question. "Good morning, Locke," Steve greeted, a smile on his face even though it did little to hide his worry. He pointed toward the reluctant man sitting on the sofa. "Has he hurt himself again? It's unusual for him to not be working in the lab."

Loki stopped dead in his tracks, mimicking the distressed look that Steve carried.

 _This can't be good_ , Tony thought to himself. Whatever response Loki was deciding to conjure up for the American hero could possibly ruin him. The man's current bothered look was completely deceptive. Tony had seen those eyes enough in his dreams and in the past two weeks to recognise the mischievous glint hidden in the blue orbs.

"He…" Loki paused, mostly for dramatic effect, Tony was sure. Steve and Tony both stared at the man, waiting for the rest. The former had nothing but the curious look of a friend, but the latter looked on with vague horror. Not a muscle twitched out of place on Loki's face as he continued, "He has hemorrhoids."

_What the hell? Really?_

"Oh, that's not too terrible," retorted Steve. "It's almost expected with the way you eat junk food." He gave Tony a disappointed look while using his Captain America patented Voice of Reason. "You don't live healthy."

"Hey, I'm alive aren't I? We can't all be health freaks or goody-two-shoes."  _Hemorrhoids? That was his reply? What was he thinking?_  Tony had expected something greater and more grandiose from Loki, something that would've further fucked-up his chaotic life. Er…not that he liked his imaginary hemorrhoids. Oh hell no.

Loki sighed deeply as if also troubled by Tony's non-existent issue. "I've been trying to make him eat better, but Anthony doesn't listen. Eating healthier now and then would solve his problem."

_Oh no… that sneaky..._

Steve smiled brightly at the words. "You're absolutely right, Locke. That's a great idea."

"Hey! Don't I get a say in this?" Tony injected, trying to save any rights he had to pizza, shawarma, and breakfast doughnuts.

"No," answered Steve and Loki simultaneously, the former in the Voice of Reason, truly convinced he was helping a friend, and the second with a well-known, amused grin on his face. Well, at least the ex-god was having fun.

Shit, I knew I was doomed the minute I woke up. This is the first day of the end of my life. Damn, cute, conniving bastard.

In the end, the two left Tony sitting alone on the sofa in his spacious living room, looking severely pissed off. They both carried on to their respective jobs, which in Steve's case, was helping to move furniture. The brown-haired engineer found himself alone again, burdened with all of his unspoken thought and troubles. After all, it wasn't every day you found out you lived with a once-Norse god and a well-known being that caused havoc and ruin wherever he set his sights. Not to mention, those gorgeous eyes had been looking at him the entire time these past several weeks.

During the remaining hours of the day, a variety of options surged through Tony's mind. Some of them were not worth contemplating or considering for more than a second, but still, Tony had to make sure he'd covered all routes possible. The most obvious and probably "right" thing to do in this situation was to reveal Loki and hand him over to S.H.I.E.L.D. At the very least, he should share his new-found knowledge with the rest of the team. However, god or no god, the other Avengers would never allow Loki see the light of day again for as long as he lived. And who knew what would happen if he was taken to S.H.I.E.L.D.? Tony had no desire to find that out.

Finding Thor and confronting him about Loki seem a poor option, too. The bulky Asgardian hadn't let any of them know that his adopted sibling had been cast out to Earth. He'd lead them to believe that Loki was dead, though technically he'd never voiced this aloud. Truthfully, Thor had only told them that the mischievous god was gone and sentenced to death. But Loki was still very much alive. Okay, so now he was a powerless human just like the rest of them, bound to spend his last years on Earth. It was a breath of life compared to the eons he could've had as a god. No wonder his assistant always seemed pissed off.

 _My assistant_ , Tony repeated in his head while running hands through his chocolate-brown locks. Maybe he should do nothing at all and pretend he'd misheard those softly spoken words uttered by a tired man? Could he really let go of the one individual who made his heart race like there was no tomorrow?

Jarvis interrupted his train of thought by announcing that dinner was almost finished. Tony was definitely not looking forward to seeing whatever kind of slimy, green, and ultimately healthy thing that Loki had cooked up for him. Slowly, he made his way toward the dining area and noted that three people were now present. Bruce had somehow managed to make his way to the Tower just in time for dinner.

"So this is your fearsome assistant from hell," Bruce commented, passing a green, vegetable-filled plate of food to the engineer.

Tony scowled at the plate, eyeing the greens with obvious distaste. "Salad. My favourite."

"I'm surprised you're even eating it," Bruce said, observing Tony eat the leaves of lettuce with great reluctance.

"Trust me when I say that the other outcome would've been much worse. As I said earlier, he might be spawned from hell," muttered Tony.

"Contrary to popular belief, vegetables are not your worst enemy. And according to what you said earlier, your assistant is actually good help." Bruce was enjoying the meal. Normally, he never got to eat something home-cooked and this was a very decent meal, which earned more plus-points for Tony's blonde assistant. So far, the only downside was the man's complete avoidance of the new scientist. Truthfully, Bruce couldn't fault him for that. Locke was probably aware of what lay underneath his calm exterior. "I think he's okay."

 _You wouldn't if you really knew him_ , Tony thought. Yet out of all of them, Bruce might actually be able to understand a portion of this freakishly strange mess. He pointed a lettuce adorned fork at his fellow scientist. "Traitor," retorted the brown-haired engineer. "Each and every one of you." His eyes travelled toward his ex-god assistant who was leaning against the kitchen counter, eating the remainders of the salad straight out of the serving bowl. There wasn't even a hint of the crazies in those handsome blue eyes.

 _Goddammit, why did it have to be me_? Tony couldn't do anything; he knew that now. The questions he'd been asking all day could only be answered by an emphatic 'No.' Tony was definitely not going to let go of the man he desired.  _But why does it have to be Loki?_

After dinner, Tony finally made it to his upstairs laboratory, an environment that made him feel instantly calmer, even if he was bothered by millions of ideas or questions. Jarvis had also kept the truth about Loki hidden without asking. There was a certain understanding between Tony and the A.I. The robots, inanimate life forms, and the like were generally less judgemental than humans. Unless a real emergency arose, Jarvis would keep quiet about this.

The engineer had no will or energy left to deal with his assistant ex-god today. How could he even look at the man now when he knew who he was and what he did? Just the prospect of caring for another person scared him shitless. It only made matters worse finding out the truth about who he actually liked. What if he let Loki's name slip in the midst of heated touches and strokes? Granted, that was if they could share in that delicious, heated passion again, something that Tony sincerely hoped was possible. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. Dear God, soon his Tower would be filled with Avengers. How did everything turn out like this? Was it even wise to let the tall, lean man stay here? What would happen when "Locke" and Thor came face to face in the very near future?

The swish of one of his reinforced, transparent doors announced that Bruce had finally found his way upstairs. "Hey there, green, mean, fighting machine." The short engineer welcomed him in a tone that suggested he didn't have a care in the world.

"Something's bothering you." Bruce was a very observant person. As a child and teenager, he had always watched from the side lines. As an adult, he… well, he used to be more outgoing before the incident. After his intense exposure to gamma radation, he'd perfected his observation techniques as a means to his own survival.

"You saw. I was forced to eat salad. Of course something is bothering me."

"No, whatever's bugging you has been going on much longer, way before being force-fed those raw greens. Steve told me about your 'problem.'" Bruce observed Tony carefully from his spot in the doorway. The engineer looked busily at the surrounding screens, but he lacked the regular, fierce, intelligent and truly focused look on his face. Whatever was troubling him wasn't caused by science or his supposed illness. The gamma scientist had been living in some strange, foreign lands for the past several years and had experienced some odd cultures, but human behaviours never changed.

Tony shrugged. "Nothing I didn't complain about already. I just wanted a day of peace and rest. But no, Locke had to meddle with that too."

Tony's vain complaints, remarks, and annoyed glances all directed to Locke made sense. Bruce decided he might as well spit it out now rather than let his friend keep up this charade. "Tony, nothing's wrong with you."

"Of course nothing's wrong with me! Locke's being a pain in the ass!"

Much to Tony's surprise, the normally shy scientist chuckled. "Exactly my point," Bruce said, throwing a knowing look in the other man's direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> big thanks to sinister banana and swordmisstress for being the betas for this chapter.
> 
> big thanks to you readers for still holding out with me.
> 
> Feel free to leave a review, brain-snacks omnomnom.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Steve Rogers was easily manipulated to do something, especially if the All-American Soldier thought he was helping another person. It was a positive trait that was generally useful and a negative trait that shielded the man from the lie. It had been a very entertaining afternoon for the ex-god. Unselfishly, the broad-shouldered blond had aided him in a childish prank at Stark's cost. So far, the day had been quite amusing. Right now, both of them were in the kitchen preparing dinner. Rogers had insisted on helping out and Loki did not feel the need to deny him. This meant he would have less work, after all.

Loki had yet to meet an untalkative human being. Even the soldier made attempts at small talk. At least this conversation did not feel as overly irritating as others had. His words were spoken with more thought behind them, better articulated and calmer. It was a refreshing pace. He was surprised to find out that the soldier enjoyed literature and art. None of the warriors from his past with held any fondness for such "delicate" things. After a while, he could even claim to be marginally enjoying the discussion about Hemingway with the other man.

A voice not known to Loki interrupted their discussion. "So you must be Locke?" Though it was unfamiliar, here was a hint of something recognizable. Loki found himself having trouble placing it, as if the way he had heard it before was different from this calm, polite lilt. He turned around and cast a glance toward its owner. No wonder he could not place the voice, the last time he heard it, it came from a very different man, or rather, a very different version of this man. The green beast had spoken and grunted, all violence and anger. The man entering the kitchen awkwardly was completely the opposite.

"Yes, and you must be Dr. Bruce Banner." He did the polite and human thing to do, reaching out a hand to shake it in a gesture of greeting. The handshake was devoid of force. "Nice meeting you. Stark told you about me, I presume?"

Bruce smiled as he accepted the offered hand. The tall, blond man was calm and polite, like Steve had told him. Not the 'cold hearted, bastard assistant from hell' that his fellow scientist first called him. "Yes. Though somehow, I expected you to be different."

"Yes, I can imagine that well enough." No doubt that Stark had exaggerated every word spoken about him. Although none of them knew or suspected that the reality was much much worse than imagination. "Please, sit down and eat. I assume you are hungry." It was not a question and not quite a command. Still, he wondered if the mild-mannered doctor would sit. From what he gathered, the man had always put distance between himself and strangers.

Bruce let out a small laugh, noticing that dinner was apparently greenery, lettuce, chicken and...were those figs? It was nothing like the pizza or shawarma that was the usual fare at Stark Tower. "Are you telling me that Tony eats this?"

Steve was the first one to reply. "He doesn't have a choice, right Locke?"

Loki grinned, more than mildly amused at Rogers for wanting his confirmation. "Yes, I can be a real pain in the ass. Stark has told you of this, I am certain. So he will have to put up with this until further notice." He gestured toward the salad as if it were something deadly. His earlier improvised remark about a natural yet embarrassing illness had been improvised, out of his mouth before he knew he had said it. Still, he did find that making Anthony suffer from a non-existent problem was utterly funny. Having Rogers there as a back-up was simply icing on the cake. It also managed to solve another problem Loki faced here as well - no more breakfast doughnuts, evenings of fast food, or any other pathetic excuse for food would get in here if he had his way.

Any attention Bruce had on the conversation dissipated when a certain engineer entered the room, walking stiffly. He sat down for dinner reluctantly, reaching out for his fork and seeming displeased. Still, he began eating, even though he wore a grumpy look on his face. Loki smiled lightly at this while grabbing the salad bowl for himself and eating the leftover vegetables, sparing himself one less dish to wash in the process.

His blue eyes strayed over to the small table where the two scientists seemed to be locked in conversation. Things were discussed by words, gestures, and sometimes nothing more than a exchanged look, a little world of their own, closed off from all other data trying to enter. Yet periodically, a warm brown gaze still made calculated glances his direction, no matter how deep the conversation ran. The engineer had let him invade the personal "science" bubble in which he and Banner resided. It gave Loki a feeling of contentment to know he had engraved himself so completely on the man's mind and body. It was a strange feeling for one who had only longed for power and knowledge mere months ago. Loki had learned that whatever disturbing emotions reared their head, he had to endure them. It was a part of being mortal to which he thought he would never become accustomed.

At least lust had not been so bad, after all, it held certain positive sides. His entire body was less tense; strain and stress had vanished, giving way to relaxed muscles and a more content mind. And he was definitely not forgetting the physical pleasure the act of coitus had provided. Sleep had been deep and long, even if the position in which he'd awakened had been somewhat embarrassing. And no matter what that fool said, Loki refused to believe he snored. A larger problem had surfaced though. Loki had expected to be rid of the unwavering desire he felt, he had thought that the act itself would "get it out of his system." Instead, he found himself still craving Anthony, who had disappeared into his workplace as soon as dinner was over. Clearly, he was being avoided and Loki never did take well to being ignored.

During dinner, those intelligent, brown eyes had burned slowly, but when a glance had been cast his way, hesitance shone through. Loki refused to believe that his "prank" was the cause of this. Intent on discovering and unraveling this riddle from that wanton mouth, he headed upstairs. Nothing could stop him once his objective was set. Exceptions could be made, however, if they proved to be interesting. The door to the lab was open just a tiny bit, revealing sounds of a vaguely heated discussion being held just beyond them. Listening in on others was always a decent excuse for entertainment, at least for Loki.

"You're serious?" Loki heard the soft, but upset voice of Bruce Banner. "You  _are_. Do you always end up sleeping with your assistants? Please tell me you used protection."

"That wasn't really on my mind at the time. Believe it or not, I really just wanted him to screw my brains out." Loki had a Cheshire-cat like grin on his face, hearing those words from his employer turned conquest.

"Since when do you like men anyway?" The tone in which Banner spoke changed, as if he was accusing Stark of something.

"I don't." A sigh could be heard and Loki could envision those calloused hands running though short strands of brown hair. "I didn't." Seconds of silence passed and a certain heavy tension clung to the air. The ex-god wished he could see the expressions on their faces. One could tell plenty from the tone of a voice, but eyes rarely lied and truths were not easily disguised.

"This was your first," retorted Banner, in the voice of a doctor rather than a friend. "Locke was your first?" It was not a question even if it sounded like one. It was simply a confirmation of what the man had suspected.

"No shit, Sherlock," Anthony griped, trying to sound like he really didn't give a damn.

"Aren't you a little too old to experiment with strangers?" No longer did the scientist's voice sound like that of a doctor and it wasn't exactly friendly either. Loki wasn't sure whether to be annoyed or amused by the change.

"Hey watch it! I'm still young, alive and kicking! Might as well be a teenager." Loki was definitely amused by the mental image of Anthony's face with that comment.

"Tony, you're…"

"And who are you calling a stranger? Locke isn't a stranger. He's just an ass." How on earth did Anthony manage to defend and insult him in the same sentence?

"You haven't known him for very long. That qualifies in my book as a stranger," replied Banner in a stern voice, after Anthony stopped talking.

"Out of everyone here, I thought you would be more understanding, Bruce." Anthony's voice sounded normal, yet Loki could hear the hurt in it, even without seeing the man.

"It's not that, Tony. I just..." Banner sighed. "Never mind. It's getting late, so I'd better be off to my room. Good night, Tony." Loki could hear the scientist hurrying away from the workplace with heavy footsteps. Bruce passed by him with a surprised look on his face. Clearly the man had not expected the "assistant" to be standing there, outside the door. Loki did not like the expression on the man's face; those dark eyes held more than a hint of jealousy.

Before the door fully closed, shutting him out of the lab he normally couldn't visit, Loki caught it with his foot and entered the dim room. The door automatically clicked its lock behind him. The place was cleaner than he had expected, the desk occupied by Anthony the only exception. The lights were faint, casting shadows in every corner. The glow of cerulean screens enveloped the other man, complicated models and life-size blueprints floating in the air around him.

"Snuck in past Bruce, didn't you?" Tony said as he became aware of Loki's presence in one of his most personal spaces. Right now, he wasn't sure how to handle this. Not many living things were allowed to enter here. He could count each and every one of them on one hand.

Loki stopped moving, giving himself the time to carefully look around and study his environment. "How did you know it was me, Anthony?"

Tony shrugged, still not turning around to face his...his  _what? His_  ex-god? His  _assistant?_  "Steve always knocks, Bruce shuffles, and you can hear the clicking of Pepper's heels a mile away. Not to mention Jarvis. Strangely, he doesn't consider you a threat."

"Should I be considered a threat?" Loki asked, letting his eyes trail over the other man, settling themselves on the glowing arc reactor, its faint blue light shining through the fabric of the other man's shirt.

"You called me Anthony again." Tony stiffened minutely as he noted the other man's focus of attention. He did not feel entirely safe with those eyes placed on his lifeline.

"I do not see how that holds any meaning or connection to the possibility of me forming a threat." Blue eyes raised up from his arc reactor, settling their gaze on brown ones, demanding an answer.

"It  _might_  not mean anything at all, but harmless is  _not_  a thing I would call you. After all, you  _have_  tried to strangle me before," Tony countered brusquely. "Not to mention, I still feel sore from last night." That last sentence had been quipped less seriously. After all, his current state could not necessarily be described as harm.

"You deserved my anger then; it was due to your personal actions that I ended up in a hospital." Loki continued his slow steps toward Anthony, closing the distance between them. He felt an invisible tug towards the other man, something that made him shiver in undeniable anticipation.

The cat-like grace in which Loki walked toward him and the velvet tone he used exuded power. Tony should probably run or alert the others. He should probably feel scared shitless right now, but he didn't. Tony couldn't bring himself to be either of those. "I've  _told_  you before. I don't regret putting you in the hospital." He crossed his arms and scowled at Loki, but he was walking on thin ice and he knew it.

The mischief maker was a mere breath away from his target and almost, almost did he have his answer. Loki could taste it now, an unspoken sentence dancing on the tongue of the foolish man in front of him. Anthony knew something. He looked like he was about to run and any smart man might have done so, yet he managed to defy all logic and do the exact opposite. He stood unafraid, on his feet, facing Loki. "Tell me, Anthony," he purred, a tone knew would give the engineer goosebumps. "What am I missing?"

That alluring voice was killing him softly and the way Loki used it and the tone it carried made Tony want to answer, but he refused. He was stronger than that, for now, anyway. Only one thing was on his mind right now. Tony wanted to  _have_  this once-godly and now-ungodly being, all at once familiar and not. He wanted this human man, who made his heart rise and fall and made his brain devoid of logic. "Shut up and kiss me, you ass," he demanded with a defiant look.

"Who am I to deny your request?" Loki questioned, a tempting resonance in his voice. Inching even closer, he practically purred, "But will your fellow comrades not think ill of you for wanting another man?"

Tony just shrugged it off. "They'll get over it." It was not the 'wanting a man' part that had him worried, it was more the question of who it was that he wanted, even Tony was not sure if he was over the "who" part. Conflicted or not, he knew what he wanted as he grabbed the other man's collar, pulling him down onto a warm and very eager mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all the lovely people taking their time to read this, know that i really appreciate it.
> 
> Feel free to leave some reviewing brain-foods.
> 
> big giant thanks to my beta swordmisstress for this chapter!!
> 
> to: all the other reviewers i'm sending you mental boxes of chocolate and other sweet goods from where i live. I do hope everybody gets them.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

A cold hand moved across the bed sheets, finding nothing except unused space and fabric. Not even a trace or imprint of a warm body was left behind on the mattress. During the dark night hours, Loki had managed to grab a hold of one of the soft feather-filled pillows. His left leg was slung over it, leaving the pillow half-cradled in the crook of his knee. This position was degrading. Decent adults did not find themselves waking up in such a precarious position, even if it did feel oddly comforting and made one long for more than just empty bedding. Loki had not slept in such a cradled position since his days as a young teenager.

That is, if you rule out the previous day.

As a small child, Loki regularly sought out his "brother's" companionship. He and Thor used to tell each other tales of foolish bravery and ancient lore until they were so exhausted they fell asleep. Thor snored with the volume of thunder. Yes, even back then he was loud. In the morning, Frigga would wake them up just in time for their respective studies.

Loki devoted his time to sorcery so he could gain control of his powerful, wild abilities. Thor, on the other hand, studied warfare and battle and made new friends with every step. He blindly jumped headfirst into adventure and blatantly ignored the protesting warnings of a much smaller Loki. Eventually, Thor's actions drove the two brothers apart, causing Loki to lose his childlike ignorance and naiveté.

Loki's blue eyes widened as he suddenly woke up, his thoughts unsettled. A thought escaped his lips in a hushed whisper. "What if Thor had listened to me?" What was this? Another effect of his humanity? Or was this merely reminiscing about simpler times, before he knew he was one of the monsters in the tales they told to scare each other at night?  _Sentiment. I should not dwell on these thoughts._  He frowned at this inner turmoil, caused by his newfound human condition. It was probably also linked with this infernal need for touch and affection. His body desired the ridiculous notion of waking up next to a certain brown-haired fool.

* * *

A short distance away, the "fool" was having his own similar thoughts upon waking. The kiss the two shared in the lab the previous night had rapidly escalated into longing, feverous touches. As rapidly as the heated actions began, they ended, leaving Tony Stark feeling hot, bothered, and nearly ready to blurt the words Loki had so longed to pull from him.

Afterward, sleep came easily enough for Tony, considering his lack of a decent rest the night before. Sleep, however, came with a high cost—dreams. In the past, Tony's dreams had always been vague, blurry, and purely sexual, but now they had shifted to something even more intense. There was no longer any illusionary border between "Locke" and Loki. They were both different men and yet the same person. It was almost too crazy for words, too insane to be real or said aloud.

Tony Stark missed waking up as the little spoon.

The morning progressed slowly. Captain America got called by S.H.I.E.L.D. to resolve a minor incident. Unfortunately, none of the Avengers trusted the word "minor" anymore. Minor meant that all hell could break loose at any seemingly-perfect moment at exactly the wrong place and exactly the wrong time. Before Steve left, he merely nodded to the others and said, "I'll keep my eyes wide open for anything suspicious."

Tony and Bruce then disappeared into the labs, along with a lifetime supply of coffee and tea (Bruce had found Tony's "hated" herbal tea rather soothing). Work called to the two geniuses; there were things to build, items to discover, and calculations to be made. There had to be a way to locate the renegade Chitauri scouts and trace them back to their point of origin, so they could send them back from where they came.

Loki ran back and forth between the penthouse and Pepper Potts' office. Somehow, he found himself discussing Tony's quirky habits with the Midgardian woman, both of them laughing about it. Pepper was highly amused that he'd gotten the short genius to eat a salad since, according to her, this was quite the accomplishment.

"How did you do it?" Pepper questioned Locke. The tall man had done such an outstanding job so far. None before him had ever accomplished so much in so short a time.

"Let's just say I found the right leverage. Anthony's options were quite limited at the time." Loki could feel Pepper's smiling devilish eyes staring at him in silent approval. "I made Rogers believe he had hemorrhoids. Between the two of us, we decided Anthony needed the change of diet."

Pepper noted that Locke had just used Tony's full name, not "Tony" or "Stark," but Anthony. She herself had only called the engineer that if he'd done something terribly wrong or was in serious trouble. Yet his assistant had used it in a relaxed and casual way, letting her know that the taller man employed it with Tony's knowledge. "You like him," Pepper stated suddenly, getting a wide-eyed look from Locke.

"That's absurd. I wouldn't like that man if he was the last sentient being in the universe." How did this mad devil woman get such a preposterous idea? He would never, not in a million years, grow a fondness for Anthony Stark.

"You're lying to yourself, Locke." The slim red head had seen this enough times before—people telling themself a lie, believing it until they convinced themselves it was true.

"I have told more than enough lies to dissect them from the truth," Loki responded vehemently, reflecting on his earlier thoughts. _Except I called him Anthony again_.

"You don't even believe what you just said, do you?" Pepper replied, choosing to review the set of documents Locke had just handed over rather than focus on the man himself. She could practically feel the conflicting emotions radiating from the handsome man. "Tony likes you," she admitted. This was definitely something she had seen in the eyes and actions of her friend.

"Again, that's absurd. Anthony could never like me."  _A monster_. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to be on my way. Work is never finished in this place." Loki left knowing that the last thing he'd said had rung clearly with truth; work was never complete, but using it as his excuse for leaving was a lie. Loki left because Pepper's words had made him feel uncomfortable and her calculating, prying eyes were searching for a truth he did not want to give. Even if her words did hold a fraction of accuracy, Stark would be a moron for developing feelings toward him. Even then, Anthony would surely only like the illusion, the persona of "Locke"—a character, a shade of who he truly was deep inside. No one could ever have caring or positive emotions toward a monster.

Not even Loki.

His train of thought was broken by the annoying, sharp ring of his phone. Without checking the Caller ID, he answered. All probability pointed to it being work related anyway. "Yes?"

"Highness! How're you holding up in that high tower?" With that voice came the image of a short, stout, balding man with a giant dark moustache, a wide grin on his wrinkled face.

Loki's stance shifted upon hearing the voice on the other end and his tone became less serious and strained. "Bob?" Loki asked, incredulous.

"Of course it's me, you dolt! I'm back in town. How's about we meet up at the homeless shelter… for old time's sake? We can finally have that meal we were supposed to get ages ago. Lord knows, I have some cash to spare now. I'll finally be able to give those guys something in return for always helping me and the boys out." The stream of words came out rapidly in an enthusiastic and friendly tone. "Well, what do you say, Highness? Think you can fulfil this old man's request?"

Loki didn't have to think for very long. Living in that dump - being sick, wounded, and helpless - fully dependant of the kindness of strangers, he owed this man his gratitude. "I'll be there in an hour, old man Bob."

"Mercy have my soul! Did ya just try to crack a joke? You're not an imposter are you?"

"I am certainly not. Don't be foolish. There are none like me." That was perhaps truer than anything else he had said this day. Not many men could say they had once been a god, wielding grand magical forces, a foe to be reckoned with.

Bob laughed aloud. "See ya soon, Highness." The old man hung up on him.

"Hmm…" Loki hated not having the last word.

"Sir, are you going out?" called an ethereal voice from the ceiling. Jarvis sounded strangely curious about his activities.

"I suppose I am. Tell Anthony he can enjoy his last night of freedom and order pizza or whatever awful junk food he desires."

"Sir, may I inquire as to where you are going?" Jarvis was curious. He and Tony both held the same knowledge about this man: his true identity. The difference was that Jarvis was not prone to let it slip as easily as his creator could. According to the A.I.'s assessment, Tony Stark had already been almost tricked into "spilling the beans."

"I'm going to meet an old friend." Without thinking further on the A.I's words, Loki went down to the tower's exit.

His arrived exactly forty-seven minutes after the phone call ended, early, but not in an unfashionable way. The whole environment was grey and dull, just like he remembered, except even more so. The store into which Anthony's red sports car had crashed was still under construction. The entire area seemed depressing and desolate. The only movement consisted of an elderly woman walking a golden retriever, some cars, and a public transportation bus.

From across the road, a familiar voice called out in joy. "Look at ya! You really are a real Highness now. Hardly recognise ya from the wreck of the man I got to know. Good to see you again, my friend!" Bob crossed the road easily enough and gave him a pat on the shoulder at the last comment. The older man looked pretty much the same with a big, warm bright smile on his face. He was much cleaner though and was dressed in clothes that actually fit him now. "Looks like work has been kind to both of us. Come on, let's get inside and pay handsomely for some grub."

Inside, it was quiet. Only one table was occupied and neither of them recognised the man sitting there. Even for an afternoon on a weekday, the soup kitchen was ridiculously still. Bob knew this from experience, since he had dined there many times or made use of the shower when he could.

Loki noticed Bob's mood shifting from happiness to worry, a thing he had never witnessed from the older man. Even when Loki was sick and injured, the man had seemed ever optimistic and hopeful. "What's bothering you?" The ex-god had a sneaking suspicion he would not like the outcome of this day.

"It's too still here. There's not a drifter or homeless person in sight. It ain't normal," replied the older man, face wrinkled by distress. "Maybe they're back at the bridge…I don't know."

Loki realized he should show some consideration and help the man out. Wasn't this what humans did to settle a debt? "Do you want to go look, Bob? We can go back to that place that used to be your home."  _And my refuge for a while_. Whatever disconcerting feeling the Midgardian had was now enveloping Loki, making the hairs on the back of his neck rise.

Aside from the normal movements on the street—such as people returning from work, teenagers carrying overly large bags, and women shopping—neither of them passed a beggar or a recognisable poor man's face. Even the spot where a young woman used to hang out almost seemed void of life. Loki looked about uneasily. "I don't like the feeling here, Bob. I fear your worry is justified."

"I hate it when I'm right. I haven't had the chance to say it yet, but it's nice to hear ya say my name." Bob looked up at the darkening clouds. Rain slowly started to fall from the sky onto his face. They neared the bridge under the cover of a gloomy blackening sky.

Shacks and small make-shift homes from plywood and scraps still stood upright, but the cardboard boxes were soaked with water from the rain and slumped down under the weight. No fires were lit in any of the surrounding circular metal containers. An eerie silence hung in the air like a thick mist, making it hard to breathe. There wasn't a soul alive in the usually busy area except for a black cat with ragged fur and crusted ears from old battle wounds. A very unsettling thought buried itself in Loki's mind, one that he hoped was not true. "Bob?" he called out tentatively, not too loud but still loud enough to be heard.

"Hey!" replied the older man with enthusiasm, looking at the ground beneath his feet as if it was the first time he'd seen it. "This place isn't fully deserted. There's still some footprints." Loki could tell that Bob was still worried and was trying to convince himself that the new discovery had to mean something positive. After all, anything had to better than this awful gut-wrenching emptiness.

"Get out of here," Loki suddenly urged. His friend did not listen; he was too emerged in his discovery.

_I called him a friend…_

Stranger things had happened before and he hadn't time to dwell on his word choice for too long. Before giving it another thought, he shouted in Bob's general direction, hoping to get through to the stubborn old man. "Bob! Get out of here right now!" That had to get the attention of the previously homeless man, along with the possibility of a few other unwanted listeners as well.

Bob's feet shifted quickly in the mud. He backed away upon hearing the warning call of his friend. This place was abandoned. No, not abandoned - left behind to rot and gather dust.

An inhuman noise suddenly sounded from the nearby walls, deep within the shadows cast by a sharp jutting ledge. Whatever had been hiding in the darkness was slowly awakening from the noise caused by the two men wandering around. The thing made a noise—a signal, a sound that was a strange combination of a scrape, a screech, and a hiss. "What is that?" panted Bob, already losing his breath after a few meters of impromptu jog, cursing his horrible stamina.

Loki despised what he had to do next, even if he had no other right choice. His will to survive was far greater than the bruising that would be done to his ego. His usually nimble fingers fumbled in the pocket of his vest as he searched for a small device. After finding his phone, he hit the first button on speed-dial, automatically connecting him to Jarvis.

"Sir—" Jarvis began, but Loki quickly cut him off.

"Get Anthony right now!" Loki yelled, turning his head as he heard the sound he'd been dreading.

 _They_  were here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for having the patience to wait for updates, reading and generally liking the story.  
> feel free to leave a review for me to feed off.
> 
> special thanks to swordmisstress who puts up with all my shit:p  
> and to sinister banana who also betad


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> disclaimer: i do not own marvel

**Chapter 22**

It was late in the afternoon when the good Captain returned from his dealings with S.H.I.E.L.D., bringing with him a certain long-haired Asgardian warrior who was currently invading the kitchen cabinets on a desperate quest for snacks and sweet goods. "Friend Steve! Where can I find those tarts that pop? For I am growing hungry."

"Sorry Thor, Tony's assistant Locke banned all sweets for now." Steve tried to explain how large quantities of sugar, caffeine, alcohol, or fat could be hazardous for a human body. Considering the way Tony always ate, there was concern for his well-being. Thor, being who he was, did not seem to grasp this concept. His blond-bearded face had a a mix of serious contemplation and childlike worry engraved on it.

"This assistant of the Man of Iron must wield great power to banish food and other consumables from this tower." He enthusiastically put his fist down on the table. "I would like to meet this warrior!"

Right now, the All-American hero was glad that most of the furniture commonly used had been reinforced. Any regular old table would have been split in half by such a force. "Locke's not a warrior, he just, well, it's his job to take care of Tony."

Thor frowned. "He is like a housemaid?"

Steve shook his head. "No, no, no, not at all. Locke makes sure that everything keeps running around here, more or less. He does all the work that Tony doesn't want to do, including keeping tabs on his health."

A crease between the thunderer's eyes betrayed that he was in deep thought over Steve's words. "This man carries a big responsibility on his shoulders; the Man of Iron does not lead a simple life."

The blond captain nodded in agreement. "I suppose he does if you put it that way."

"Who does what now?" Questioned Tony, jumping into the conversation and immediately granting a place in the discussion for himself.

"You're a difficult man, Tony," replied Bruce while cleaning off his glasses.

"We are discussing the worth of your aide friend, Tony. He seems to be an interesting man. Yet I regret his decision about the food for I was longing for some tarts that pop." Thor looked disheartened by the loss of the sugary snackfood.

"You and me both, Point Break," said the engineer, holding a smile on his face while inside him turmoil waged. Thor was here, and earlier than expected. Did he know Tony wondered who his assistant was? All coherent thoughts abandoned him when a familiar, yet unusually frantic voice came from the speakers.

"Get Anthony right now!" Before the strange and alarming call for help from Locke was fully formulated, Tony Stark was already outside.

Metal clasped around his foot, binding him in a recognizable red and gold pattern. His face held a serious stance of concern. After all, his tall, fair-haired assistant, Loki, was not one prone to ask for help. The fact that Jarvis immediately relayed the message on the open communication line running in Stark tower said enough. Their pleasant normal day was over. This was further confirmed by the eerie unreal sound they heard on the background. Whatever it was came closer as they heard Locke shouting to his companion.

"Bob, you better start running again. Stark, are you there?"

"Already suiting up." Whatever was roaming around on the other side of the phone connection was close enough to be recognized. Each of the Avengers could hear it before a loud crack killed of the connection.

Chitauri.

Bruce couldn't go, it was out of the question. Steve was already running off to get into uniform. Thor stood outside in his ever present battle armour, right next to Iron Man. Any sign of mirth on the Asgardian's face was gone. Now it stood deadly stern.

Thor looked at his metal-clad friend. "Let us go, Man of Iron." A hammer swung and thunder rang out in the skies above. The fastest of the Avengers took flight.

It did not escape the engineer's sharp mind that the broad-shouldered god knew where to go. Thor only appeared to be following him at first glance, but his keen senses could not be fooled by it. The look the blond-bearded man held on his visage was one Tony had seen before - Thor knew he was heading straight toward his brother.

The first movement Tony picked up on his visor was a short, bald man running as if his life depended on it - Bob. Thor managed to grab the exhausted man by his shoulders, steadying him and helping him stand up. The older man was completely out of breath but seemed to otherwise undamaged. "Are you unharmed, human friend?" asked Thor carefully.

In-between ragged breaths, Bob managed to speak. "Yes, I …. Not harmed.."

Iron Man landed in the mud, immediately asking the question laying heavy on his mind, "Where is Locke?" Inside the mask, and unseen by the others, Tony asked Jarvis to scan the area for other signs of life.

"Checking for vital signs and body heat signatures sir." Brown eyes widened, small wrinkles lining them with worry, as they followed the blue line of the scan from the inside. He looked around and even re-did the scan, but besides the three of them, he picked up no other heat signatures.

"He killed…one of them He told me to run..." Slowly, the older man with the big moustache got more air in his lungs, speaking with more clarity. Bob was able to stand up straight again, having regained his breath, though his heart was still racing like a bullet. "Still out there, Stark, he is still out there… he turned blue before he…"

Thor stared at Iron Man, having taken note of the concern in his fellow warrior's voice earlier. "He is alive, although I fear that I cannot give my aid. Man of Iron, you must go alone."

_Loki is alive._

The thought filled him with relief and a sigh escaped him. Who would have ever guessed that he, a savior of the city, would ever feel glad to know a former villain intent on destroying and ruling, was alive and well? The other Avenger was staring at him. He could feel those honest piercing eyes drilling holes in his armour. "What's wrong, Point Break?"

"You worry for him," the broad-shouldered warrior replied.

"Of course I worry for him, I am his boss after all." He shrugged. "Sort of." Thor had a big goofy smile on his face that was entirely inappropriate, considering the fact that somebody was attacking here. Even Bob noticed it and shot the bulky blond man a weird look.

"You are his friend! This is good news!" Declared Thor enthusiastically, voice loud and booming. Bob shot Tony a look that clearly asked 'is this guy for real?' Tony could only give the older man a small nod.

"But you must be wary my friend, he is not wh…" The big Asgardian stopped talking, conflicted as to whether he should share his knowledge or not.

Tony decided to prick the Asgardian's thought bubble himself. "You still think of him as your brother, don't you?"

"Of course I do, it does not matter to me that he - !" Thor stopped and looked deadly serious at him. "You tricked me, Man of Iron." His blue eyes shot a warning glare to his comrade.

Stark snorted, shaking his head. "Stay here and wait for Cap. Ask him to get Bob to the nearest hospital. I will go after your brother. Do not tell the others, they're better off not knowing this." With that, he left. There were better things to do now then face an angry, tricked god.

"Jarvis, scan the area for movements." His suit would need cleaning for mud clung to his metal boots, their weight pressing them deeper into the earth with each step. A cold dead alien body lay in the wet earth, lifeless and limp. It had been a fast death, this much he could tell. How did it happen? It brought him back to Bob's words: he turned blue.

There was still a trail in the mud. Something or somebody had dragged itself away from this spot, off between the run-down shacks some would call home. Loki knew he was here; this hiding was deliberate. The other man refused to be found in this mysterious blue state, but the movement scan turned out to have no results. He started to perform another scan for heat signatures when an idea popped into his head. Back when Loki was "imprisoned" in the glass holding cell, his signature was inhumanly cold.

"Jarvis search for signatures below thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit. Show anything that is out of the ordinary." His warm brown eyes followed the scan, calmly resting on an area straight ahead of him. It stood out, highlighted, emitting an unusually cold temperature compared to the rest of the area. A deep chill sat in its center, a cold rarely seen even during the heart of winter.

_Loki._

He approached slowly but steadily, faceplate still in place for whatever trouble may be laying ahead in the shadows.

"Stark." A voice came from the dark, laced with venom and contempt - Loki's voice - the audible sound of a crazy madman on the brink of snapping. And this insanity was Tony's to break in an attempt to reach the man hidden beneath it.

"Locke."

"You would do well to turn around and head back to that tower of yours," snarled Loki, almost as if it was an accusation. It was a dare toward the other man: accept it or face what was dwelling here.

"Yeah, not happening, not without you. So get out of there. The tower is your home, too." The light-hearted words rang with uncomplicated truth. The man in gleaming armour hoped they would be heard.

A rough laugh barked out of the darkness and the other man stirred in his hiding. "Home, Stark? Monsters like me have no homes. I neither belong in that tower nor anywhere else."

"You're not a monster, just a pain in my ass." Barely a few feet away from the shade in which his assistant was hiding, Tony stopped moving. He could sense the will of the other man, that deep warning chill running in the air, like a barrier keeping him from his goal, pushing him away from what he wanted. "Come out, will you? I promise not to run away screaming like a girl."

"You do not know what you ask, Stark," replied Loki. He slowly rose from his seated position. If this tiny ignorant insect wanted to see what foul thing he was, who was he to deny him the horrible vision? With an antagonizingly slow pace, the ex-god walked out of the dark covers of the shade, carrying himself with all the elegance of royalty.

What walked toward Tony was nothing like the monstrous image his brain had conjured. No fearsome pointed horns or antlers, no sharp snarling teeth, or a ruthless blue-scaled beast ready to strike at his defiance emerged. What stood in front of him was otherworldly, unreal, and beautiful.

Big fully red eyes, like the color of dripping blood, stared at him, filled with a variety of emotions. Those eyes explored him with anger, hate, and even a hint of doubt started crossing them as he gave no reaction at all. They stared at him, demanding a reaction. Cerulean blue covered his skin, but here and there, hints of other hues. No scales, horns, spikes, or other horrid blemishes could be seen from his viewpoint, but a myriad of swirling lines in a complex, natural design covered Loki's body. Tony's eyes traced them from behind the mask. The lines rounded and curved on an angled face, disappearing under the hemline of Loki's shirt. It took great strength of will for Tony not to imagine how he would look naked in this form.

Loki was a tall predator, all strong, lean muscles under blue skin. Piercing red eyes burned him from the inside out - mortal, alien, and godly.

The gold plate lifted automatically from his face and his breath frosted in the air as he spoke. "I told you before to use my name."

A malicious, catlike grin spread on Loki's face. His appearance was a heritage he still cursed, even if had not only saved his, but also the life of another. "Anthony."

The name was almost spat at him. This new alien Loki neared him now that his gold mask was removed and the cold air stroked his face. He stared at him, studying the lines and expressions of Tony's face like a stern judge. Tony blurted out the first thing that sprung alive inside his mind. "You have beautiful eyes, one of my favorite colours even."

"A fearless joker, that is what you are. Not even a decent bit in you knows when to stop." Yet Loki knew that eyes seldom told lies, not to him, the master of lies. The intelligent brown orbs of the engineer did not flicker or falter as he spoke. Their aim stayed steady and true, on Loki and nothing else.

A muddied golden-clad foot stepped forward, straight into the personal bubble of the blue-skinned man. It might have been an illusion, but Tony swore he could feel the temperature rise a fraction. "I don't see a monster at all. As a matter of fact, I'm quite turned on right now. It's very uncomfortable." Tony looked at the confusion running through those mesmerizing crimson eyes.

This mortal man was incredibly stupid, for who spoke out loud their longing for a vile Jotun such as him? And who dared to mean it? "No." Anthony did not want him, only what he saw, the idea of Locke. "You do not crave me. You lie without realizing it."

"Hell no, I don't care what or who you are anymore. It's way too late for that now. You're a cold-hearted stupid asshole, but I like you." Tony almost swallowed his last words, but it was sink or swim now that he had said it out loud. He severely hoped this whole thing would not blow up directly in his face. Two hands curled around his metal scaled neck, a warning signal. Pissed-off eyes stared at him with intent, burning with anger or something close to it.

"Fool, you still lie to me!" The cool, gold metal beneath his hands did not freeze under his touch, no matter how Loki willed it. "I should kill you here and now! It would be most merciful of me."

"You can't kill me," retorted Tony, swatting the blue hands away. Thankfully, no harm was done to him thanks to the suit's protection. That cold clasp would have left a burn otherwise. He inched closer, pressing in, a vague smile forming on his face. "You don't want to kill me."

The ex-god caught the doubt in those last words. Anthony was unsure of whether he would live or not when Loki cast his judgment, his words nothing but a bluff. Yet his own claim was nothing but a warning lie because inside Loki raged a dilemma. No longer could he muster up burning hate toward the other; the will to grab him by the throat and rip out the arc reactor was gone. It was nothing more than a dull, fading idea left in the back of his mind. This man had started to etch himself onto his heart. Rather than simply killing him and bringing a swift end, he wanted to pull the armoured engineer closer and ravish him with kisses, bites, and all those things that could draw out the sounds that made his blood boil.

Tony's gloved hand remained placed on the glacial hand, detecting the temperature. His thoughts had been accurate; the temperature had been rising gradually. The blue palm was still freezing and cold, but it could be touched by Tony's ungloved hand without leaving frostbite. "I want you to kiss me," voiced Tony, almost demanding and deadly serious. It was definitely a dare, a challenge he wanted the other to risk taking.

"Of all the humans I have ever met, you are by far the most arrogant, ignorant, and impulsive," Loki rejoined. His eyes roamed the sun-kissed skin of the other. Oh, how he wanted to fill that request gladly, but he had believed in the lies of others for too long to yield so easily. Still, there was something unseen and untold hanging between them. The leftover apprehension, still silent, caused friction in the air. "To ask this now, without knowledge of what kind of creature I truly am, is most ludicrous. This vile blue colour hides more than what your eyes see. It does not tell you of what great chaos I ha-….."

Tony rolled his eyes at the dramatic speech; it was like reliving Shakespeare in the park all over again. With the added height his robotic suit provided him, he was almost as tall as the other man. He might as well make it of good use now. "Shut up. You're just as stupid as I am, Loki." Tony did not want to wait for a vocal reaction; he actually feared what might come with this confession. The best way to shut another person up was always with a kiss.

Loki gasped as those soft, slightly pink lips locked around his. The pure human heat radiated off them like a furnace, scorching his dark-blue mouth where they touched. It was a desperate, silencing kiss, the kind that took his breath away and forced him to welcome its embrace. That mouth was strong, forceful, and inescapable, pushing away his glacial skin with each lingering caress. Loki could feel that flare of heat eating away at his cerulean blue cover, tearing it down piece by piece. Slowly, smooth, pale skin reappeared, accompanied by a flush of red that was no longer a sign of aggression or shame, just Loki's own devious need for this aggravating idiot of a man, the one who wanted him in all his inhuman glory.

They broke apart for just a short second to gather breath and urgently fill lungs with air. It was enough for a singular thought to press itself to the surface of Loki's mind, breaking free from the shackles of the body. Anthony had honestly wanted every part of him, holding full knowledge of what that meant. How could this have escaped him? It had laid beneath the waves of consciousness until it been teased into the open. Now it lay bare, ready to be thrown back into the sea of forgetfulness, or to be gutted, skinned, and eaten alive. Before the engineers lips sought him out again, he all but hissed out a question. "For how long!? For how long did you know who I was?" he accused.

"Does it even matter?" Tony replied, holding a pale-toned hand in his armoured grasp. All of that gorgeous blue had faded, revealing the familiar face of his assistant, whose blue eyes roamed his face in a most peculiar, almost possessive, way.

"No, it does not hold meaning any longer. There is only one unexpected thing now that remains," Loki replied, with something between a laugh and an evil grin lingering on his lips. It gave way to a very human expression on his face, one that made Tony Stark kiss him once more.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again thank you guys for taking the time to read this, you're all wonderful.
> 
> Feel free to leave a review, i eat them as breakfast^^
> 
> special thanks to my beta for this chapter swordmisstress and tragic guardian!


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Thor had always known where his adopted brother, or rather, the now human man who was his beloved younger sibling, resided. Not that the golden god ever thought he had one less family member. Those were facts he did not want to face. In fact, the way his fellow earthly warriors spoke of this "Locke," the name Loki chose to go by on Midgard, filled him with memories of a younger and very different Loki. Not the chaotic mad one trying to take over this world, but the one who used to be his mischievous trickster of a brother, the one that could sweet-talk himself out of any dangerous situation, someone better who could actually laugh heartedly or give a warm smile. It gave him faith, a faint spark of hope flickering in his big, strong heart.

His mind spun backwards in time, recalling the ease with which emotions changed on the face of his comrade and friend, Tony. A mere fraction of a moment was all it took to go from a warm, laughing expression to a serious, tight-lipped one laced with worry. The joker, the playboy was gone, replaced by a man full of naught but worry for a friend. Even Thor had trouble comprehending this new found friendship between these two unlikely candidates. Yet who was he to judge, especially if he considered that his younger sibling seemed to have returned fractions of his old self into his behaviour.

Even more astonishing was that the Man of Iron knew and accepted that this "Locke" was a mere disguise to survive in the human world without being immediately noticed. His friend had even tricked him into spilling words from his lips that he otherwise could not have spoken under his promise to Odin. For that, he was slightly angered. Over time, Thor had come to be both wary and weary of tricks. But this one let him know that he could place his trust in the Man of Iron, who was probably the only human willing to aid a former adversary.

Thor waited until the red and gold armor was out of his field of vision to bring the one called Bob to the Midgardian healers. His arrival at the large, sullen white building had caused some chaos and distress. Jane had often reprimanded him about suddenly flying head on into things. It scared weaker humans, subjecting them to panic, even if it was meant well. A set of Midgardians dressed in white robes took the man away for care. One of them asked if he needed anything tended as well. Thor refused this politely, for he was healthy, fit and strong, not even a sweat had broken his skin. That and he held a great dislike for the Midgardian way of healing after a series of unfortunate incidents during his short exile.

Proudly, Thor stood outside, waiting for his fellow Avenger to meet him there, hopefully with an uninjured human named Locke. Impatience also reigned in his veins for the wait was long and worst case scenarios prowled darkly into his mind. What if Loki let the bitter emotions stirred up by his Jotun look get to him? What if that mad glare appeared back in his eyes at the sight of unwanted, cold power? What if the unlikely friendship Stark and Loki had formed broke down beneath it?

With every passing breath, his worry grew, accompanied by a frown creasing his forehead. Possible scenarios played out in his imagination, ranging from good, to bad, to worse. Thor's worry finally eased when a familiar sound came closer and closer, lifting his spirits immediately. The Man of Iron slowed down for landing, bringing along with him another living being.

Thor could only describe the man he saw as Asgardian. Half-long golden locks of hair hung just above the shoulders, its ends curling upwards with a single tress of blond hair hanging defiantly in front of the face. He had eyes much like his, bluer than any sea on Midgard, yet colder and more distant. The only notable difference was his non-Asgardian build. He was still tall, but lean muscled instead of the more bulky and broad-shouldered build of most Asgardians. If the thunder god had to choose a word to describe the other person, the first word would be displeased, or disgraced at being carried to the hospital, anything but happy. It looked like the Man of Iron had simply scooped him up after a faint protest. A protest that would carry on in heated discussion later, judging by the look on that strict face.

He watched as his comrade got a disapproving finger from the tall stranger, waving it in a agitated way in front of his face. Tony could be seen rolling his eyes at this while sprouting some verbal nonsense. With a smirk, the tall man replied, drawing a paler face from the Man of Iron. Slowly, a warm mischievous smile crept up in the corner of that mouth. Then and there, Thor recognized Loki. It took every ounce of willpower in his body not to shout out or bear-hug him, for it had been years since he saw his brother hold a smile with such mirth.

* * *

A badly-needed kiss provided enough distraction for Tony to wrap his metal clad arms tightly around Loki. The brown-haired genius found it superbly difficult to leave those warm moist lips, but their confines and heated clutches foretold a much more delirious want. It was too much for him to handle right now. His red and gold armor was not fitted for endeavours like these. But surely adjustments could be made, bearing in mind future purposes. With his teeth, he raked the trickster's bottom lip, gently pulling it before removing himself. He let out a soft whisper in one of the ex-gods ears, "Hold on tight, Highness."

The gold faceplate snapping shut gave Loki a kick back into reality. Objection immediately rose inside of him. Surely Anthony would not dare to abuse this current situation. Of course, Loki himself would, that was normal, but for him to be tricked into this current predicament was shameful. "Anthonaaaaaaah." Before his velvet voice could form the rest of his warning words, a shout was drawn out by the force of Iron Man's thrusters lifting them up into the sky. Firm metal hands grabbed him, pulling him close and into an uncomfortable position against the armor.

As Tony landed at the hospital, he unhanded his cursing assistant, whose blond hair hung wild around his pale face. Loki gasped for air while a dull flame of anger burned behind those upsetting, but beautiful eyes. "Yeah, I know, it was the best ride you ever had. Not every guy gets carried by the one and only Iron Man, superhero extraordinaire. So can I get my reward soon? As in right now?" asked Tony, a cocky smile on his face.

"You think yourself worthy of reward and praise, Anthony?" questioned Loki, trying to gain control of the incredible mess that the wind had made of his hair. His head simply looked like a war-zone in panic, a true disaster.

Tony's lips were still raised in that arrogant smile as that wild tangled hair gave him rather sexy thoughts. "We're both alive and in one piece, that has to count for something," retorted the engineer while his warm brown eyes traced pale fingers combing through golden locks.

Loki looked at the brown-haired engineer without anger or resentment in his eyes, a grin slowly forming on his sharp angular face. For some reason, it was a struggle to stay angry with the other man. A struggle that he eventually lost in the end, for something else had settled into his mind now. It was akin to lust, but without the rough animalistic edge. Pure desire was stirring, making itself known that it would have this shorter man and soon. This newfound emotion was more intense than raw lust in a way. His mind was filled with clarity, gone was the haziness and clouded thought the lust had caused.

"Oh?" He spoke with a raised eyebrow. "Well, I hardly find you deserving of any reward, Stark." Loki replied sternly, noting the happy glint in those brown eyes fading. And then he smiled from enjoyment, his silver tongue turning his voice into liquid sex. "But I might deem it necessary to punish you."

Tony was one hundred percent sure that all the blood had vanished from his head, giving him the strangest pale-faced look, as blood accumulated in another area. Now, more than ever, his suit was proving too restricting. And with the way Loki was smiling at him right now, he wasn't entirely sure his armor had or had not made a loud "clang" sound in his groin area. "You bastard," he muttered, knowing that he had to walk around, probably feeling highly uncomfortable. The engineer narrowed his eyes and stared back at those stormy blue eyes. "You did this on purpose. You absolute ass."

"Now, Anthony, one can hardly claim that, for I held no intent on doing anything to you. You reap what you sow, Anthony." Loki's smile held nothing but mirth and mischief and with this, he turned around, indicating that the conversation was over. Foot by foot, he travelled toward the hospital entrance.

Iron Man was flashy and popular enough to attract attention in mere seconds and already, he could see curious people from the corner of his eye. He felt the need to get out before it became too crowded. That and he wanted to see how Bob was doing. Hs friend - the one human he had protected, perhaps even saved from inevitable death. Still, he was not sure why he had done this, why he had told the other man to run while he…shifted. The "old" Loki would never have done this. A mere insect saved without any purpose? It was a thing for ridicule. Helping one was even worse, yet regret for this could not be found in his heart right now.

What lingered now was a feeling of fright and surprise at the change his body had experienced. Surely, it had been some great cosmic joke of the All-Father's. So much for being human, he thought, but when it came down to it, he could still wield deep cold power against an enemy. Why had he never felt this presence before? Why now? What was different than before? The answer was simple: he had wielded it with the intention of protecting a thing.

_Oh, by the Nine…_

Loki froze in his footsteps when he saw Thor, with his ridiculous, beaming smile looking at him, or rather, past him. It was a thing of annoyance to see it, like an itch under his fingernails. He could scratch it, yet not reach it, unless, of course, pulling off nails and revelling in the soothing look of them bleeding was an option. It was a smile that Loki would have loved to wipe off that face. Permanently.

The golden warrior stepped forward, his leather covered feet steady and happy. It was sickening to see him like that. Much to Loki's surprise though, the god did look past him, or at least made an attempt not to concentrate on him. It was a strange thing to behold. No doubt it would demand plenty of restraint on Thor's behalf. It was almost admirable…almost.

"Friend Tony," boomed Thor in his clear, loud voice. "'Tis good to see you and your assistant unharmed and safe from any dangers. Did you have a good battle?"

Tony walked the last few steps toward the awaiting Thor, discomfort evident with each step. "There was no battle, Thor."

"Man of Iron, you are hurt! Should I call for the healers?" the Asgardian warrior asked with concern upon seeing his friend limp slightly in his suit.

"No, that won't be necessary. Just sprained a muscle, nothing bad. It'll go away soon." I hope… "But enough about me; where is Bob? I'm sure that is the question on my assistant's mind as well."

"The one called Bob was taken in by your Midgardian healers. I do not know where for I did not enter." With this, the blond warrior finally paid attention to his younger sibling. He could no longer ignore him out of fear that he might burst open and shout out his name in greeting. "It is good to see you safe, Locke. Friend Tony was worried about you. Your friend Bob is inside. He was also worried for you." It was strange to use that name and equally hard to keep a straight face. Expectantly, he looked at Loki waiting for a reply.

Thor did not greet him as a sibling. As pleasing as this was, it was notably odd. The restraint could easily be seen on that blond-bearded face. The elder of them could never and would never lie, nor would he willingly hold back like this under normal conditions. Loki concluded quickly that it must have been the All-Father's doing, just like the cruel joke played on him by turning him into this shell of his former self. It had to be a promise made, an oath sworn not to interfere with anything concerning him. Yet that big idiot radiated the truth now that he faced his once younger  _brother_. "Stupid oaf" was all he said before ignoring this foolish, amateuristic theatre piece Thor thought he was performing.

After the grumpy-looking ex-god had entered the hospital, Tony had to ask. "He called you a stupid oaf, and still you're smiling?"

"Of course, friend Tony," replied Thor, as if it was the most idiotic question one could ask of him.

"Not a man of many words are you? I mean, why are you still smiling, after he called you a stupid oaf?" Perhaps a different way of formulating his question could get a clear explanation from the Thunderer.

Tony's raised eyebrow told him that his fellow Avenger required a longer answer. "The mad man you saw when the Chitauri invaded this world was nothing like my little brother." Thor shrugged his shoulders slightly, continuing, "Perhaps only a little bit. This person," he smiled, "is my little brother. It feels as if he is returning."

Tony could live with that last reply, since it was indeed true. Who would have guessed that this former villain could care for a human life, let alone enough to willingly save that person? Who would have ever dreamt him truly capable of raw passion and heated, desire-filled glances? Loki was even somewhat pleasant to live with... if you could cope with tricks, lies, and imaginary health problems throughout the day.

* * *

When the elevator doors slid open, Loki could see a mop of familiar hair, accompanied by a voice he had hoped never to hear again - Cassandra. Just behind her, he could perceive the tall short-haired Steve Rogers, looking like he wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. Their eyes met and the ex-god was met with this pleading, puppy-eyed look. The young nurse kept on chatting, bombarding the All-American Hero with questions and useless comments. Through it all, his face kept saying, "Help me! Get me out of here."

Loki was almost feeling sorry, right up until the point Rogers called out for him. "Locke! It's good to see you in one piece."

At the mention of this name the woman almost made a happy jump. "Locke! Oh, it's been so long. How are you feeling? Do you need a check-up?"

_No, I don't need you feeling up my legs again, whiny insignificant woman_. "Hello, Samantha." He purposefully used the wrong name.

"Already told you to call me Sandy, darling," she cooed, the only indication of his getting her name wrong was a slight pinch of her mouth.

_What did she just call me? The nerve she has!_  He noted that the Captain was feeling relieved to get out from under her attention. Since the use of a different name had not deterred her and her attention was now on him, Loki gave Rogers the coldest stare he could currently muster.

"See, I was just talking about your stay here to Mr. Rogers," she began to ramble, pointing to the uncomfortable man. But before she could continue, Loki interrupted hastily.

"Yes, how kind of you to do so. Could you show me my friend's room?" requested the ex-god, clearly annoyed by the fact that she kept stalling the conversation. He did not care to be kept from his goal.

"Of course," she replied with a tender smile. "He's the one that used to visit you, isn't he?" She started moving slowly, walking towards the end of the hallway. Unfortunately, she also kept on rambling, producing unnecessary noise. Her attention turned back to Steve Rogers, making the tall, blond assistant believe he was relatively safe and sound. Her words however, proved him oh so wrong.

"Did you know I accidently asked him out on a date the last time? God, I made such an ass out of myself." She blushed, remembering the whole scene.

Had Loki more energy, he might have actually killed her here, Captain America's presence be hanged.  _Please, somebody strangle that creature so she shuts up._  As it was, all he could do was glare tired daggers into the back of her head.

"Why?" asked Steve, with all honesty. "I think it is courageous of you to do so. It requires guts and daring to ask another for a date, even if that person rejects you." Leave it up to the honest Captain America to question this. Now she would spout even more unneeded words. Loki smothered an inward groan.

"Oooooh, you don't know, do you?" giggled the aggravating nurse, a tone of surprise in her voice. "Well, I'll leave you to find out for yourself. Here is the room you're looking for, come and drop in more often, Locke. Unharmed, of course. Bye!"

Rogers looked perplexed. "What don't I know? Locke help me out here," he asked politely.

"Some things are better left alone, Rogers," Loki sighed before opening the door. Oddly, he did not feel surprised to see Iron Man already there.

"What?!" Tony challenged arrogantly, noting a look of disapproval on the good Captain's face. "I flew in. You can't expect Iron Man to take the elevator."

"Tony, really, you  _flew_  in? This is a hospital. What were you thinking?" Steve's calm voice lightly reprimanded his friend. He was still confused, wondering over the comments of the nurse and Locke, but he did not feel the need to pry right now. After all, they had just come back from whatever was going on and the Chitauri were involved. Still, he took a mental note to ask later, Steve hated being kept in the dark about things.

"I don't expect anything of you, Anthony," Loki said, responding to the engineer's presence, relieved that Thor had wisely decided to stay out of the hospital. He could still felt Rogers' questioning stare aimed at him, like a subtle itch at the back of his neck. He would ignore those questions until much later, if, indeed, he ever chose to answer them.

"So you call him Anthony, eh? It's good to see you make friends, Highness," came a raspy voice from under the bed covers. "Sorry, still out of breath it seems. And tell the nurse to get rid of this thing. I feel fine." Bob pointed to the IV, which was currently slowly dripping fluid into his veins .

"Sir, with all due respect, you should listen to the hospital staff. From what I gathered, you are not ready yet to leave the hospital or this room." The good captain managed to straddle the line between imploring and commanding. It was his rational voice, filled with respect yet demanding to be heard and taken seriously.

"Well, they can't expect me to stay here for this li'l thing," noted Bob, raising his arm to show a strange burn around the wrist. "Ya know, you could have warned me 'bout them magic hands, Highness.

"Magic hands? Sir, are you all right?" asked Steve worriedly, looking over the wound and recognizing it for what it was. "How exactly did you end up with frostbite?" With this, he looked up at Locke, an eyebrow raised in question.

"I…" Loki startled, not having known that he had given the man a wound like this. It had taken him by surprise.

Bob saved him from having to speak. "He saved me damn ass, that's what he did. Froze one of them ugly bastards right up." Bob's attention went back to the ex-god, a warm smile under his big moustache. "Boy, now, more than ever, I'm happy for finding you back then. God knows how it would have ended without you."

"Yet this is my fault," replied Loki, carrying a softer tone than usual. For the Chitauri were here for him. They were searching, scavenging, gathering resources if and where they could. He had led them here.

"Listen Highness. You had a run in with one of those things before. One that, considering the horrible state I found you in, wasn't that pleasant. But that doesn't make it your fault. I live, you live, and that's all that truly matters to me." The elder man let out a small laugh. "Heck! You even have cool superpowers, literally." Everybody stayed notably calm at this revelation except for one, still very confused Captain America.

Steve blinked in shock. "He what?! Tony?" He looked at his friend, who was clearly not as profoundly confused as himself. It was apparent the engineer had known of this and withheld this vital piece of information from him, but why?

"He's a mutant." Tony's mouth seemed to work on its own accord before he could control his words and before Loki could speak on his own behalf.

"Why did you not mention this to me?" asked Steve, in a disappointed tone. He hated it when people did not keep an open book. He knew Tony had his secrets, but this was ridiculous.

"Look, Steve, don't get your panties in a twist," Tony tried to reason. "We'll explain what happened later when everybody is back in the tower. I'm sure Bob and Locke here could go without an argument right now. That and it saves me from having to explain it twice."

"Could you two be silent!" snapped Loki, his voice loud and clearly holding a certain pissed off, exasperated tone. Both men instantly held their mouths, looking at him with wide eyes. "Very well. As Anthony said, all will be cleared up later. Now, if you'll excuse me, I would like to speak with Bob. Alone." Loki was sick and tired of all the unwanted interferences for one day. The ex-god saw that Steve blushed a bit shamefully while giving an accepting nod and leaving with understanding. Tony Stark, on the other hand, was more troublesome.  _Naturally_. He was reluctant in leaving. "Anthony, out. Now." His tone was low, but not dangerous or insane. Still, it certainly held a promise of revenge if it was ignored. Brown eyes looked at him, filled with hidden worry.

"Okay, okay, I got it. I'll be going. Just be all right when you get back home, okay?" Tony managed to get out before he was either dragged or pushed out of the hospital room. The brown-haired engineer tried not to sound the slightest bit worried. Deep down inside, he was desperately hoping that Loki would not have some strange kind of blue relapse. He caught those beautiful blue eyes, but their expression did not give anything away as the door shut in front of him.

When the ex-god turned around, the smile on Bob's face had vanished into thin air. His lips were now in a rarely seen serious line, something akin to sadness on his otherwise calm face. "You knew what they were." It was a statement, not a question. "Tell me honestly Locke, where are my friends?"

The downward heading mood struck Loki hard, giving him unwanted sentiment and a strange feeling of loss. Lies would not come, for his freakishly human heart wanted to speak the truth. "I don't know."

"Highness, that's bullshit. You have to know something. Now, I won't press you to talk about past experiences. But ya gotta give me something to go on here," Bob stated, awaiting another answer patiently.

The kind older man wasn't angry with Loki, not in the least bit, but he was disappointed. Somehow, this gave the trickster an awful, bitter feeling. He had told the truth, had he not? Was this not a thing that made humans feel better or more relieved? Then why had nothing changed? Why did this foreboding mood still fill the air around him? "I tell you truthfully, I really do not know, Bob. But I can tell you that the Chitauri need a voice, a leader. Otherwise they would not handle something like this so efficiently."

Grief ran deep and strong in Bob's voice, like a current heading to a waterfall. "What will happen to them? Are they even alive? Please, tell me they are, Locke. I already lost everything once."

"Before…in the past, they needed humans to do labor for them, often creating the finer things their claws could not. My guess and hope is that. If not, then I fear the worst." A long sigh escaped Loki, letting him know exactly how tired and weary he really was. His body was making it known that it wanted to rest in the warmth of soft thick blankets.

"Why did they have to come back?"

It was not a question, yet human impulse caused Loki to answer. "For me, I fear." The silence around him, accompanied by the stare aimed towards him, made him realize his words. "I'm sorry; that comment was not supposed to find a voice. I'll take my leave now, for we both seem to need a sufficient amount of sleep."

"Locke, whatever you went through, whoever you were, promise this old guy one thing, will ya?" asked Bob, slowly getting his good old comforting smile back.

Intuition told the ex-god all he needed to know. "I'll find them."

Later, during the car ride towards the tower, he realized that he truly did want to find them for Bob, preferably in one piece and relatively healthy. He held no understanding of why he felt like that, for it was utterly foreign. This whole day had been filled with a whole variety of new and occasionally subtle emotions. Now that there was a lull, he was left to deal with the aftermath. Truly, he was at a loss, tired and confused. For though he was no longer a god, he also wasn't a normal human man. But he could not now feel the Jotun power streaming coldly through his body. There was only a lingering feeling of power and one simple question.

_What am I?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading!
> 
> And feel more than welcome to leave a review.
> 
> I know this chapter was not action filled, but it was necessary non the less.
> 
> thanks to swordmisstress for being my beta


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> disclaimer: i do not own marvel

**Chapter 24**

Loki sat motionless under observant eyes that looked at the ex-god with unspoken questions, waiting for him to offer them a valid explanation. Dr. Banner's eyes were the clearest, giving him their full attention, ready to listen to his tale. The Captain's blue eyes still held mild confusion and although they looked friendly now, Loki knew that they could switch to strict in a heartbeat. And then there was Thor, who already knew the tale and pretended to listen, stuffing something into his mouth all the while, probably so he would say nothing during this conversation. That is, if he were smart enough to stay silent. Anthony's eyes though…Anthony's eyes filled him with doubt regarding what he should tell them. For though he knew he could weave a tale, a story so grand and unbelievable that it could be nothing but true, the brown-haired engineer would see straight through his words, aware of the obvious lie.

If he felt daring, he could let the truth spill from between his lips. Shocking honesty could feel so good at the right time. However, he would end up bound in shackles, locked away in whatever dark wretched place they could find. It was not exactly an event he anticipated with any amount of joy. There was always the grey area that lay between the two, the careful combination of fiction and honesty, enough to satisfy initial worries, but still have room for him to breathe. He had questions of his own, all of them directed at the troublesome genius. Loki decided that he would break this devastating silence by speaking first.

"I think you've all come to the conclusion, like my friend at the hospital, that I…have met with these creatures before." Deliberately, he left a few seconds of silence between his words. Dramatic tension could be useful when telling a story, one that was more or less his. It could indicate stress, reluctance, hesitation – any number of human emotions could be implied in a single, pregnant pause. A good storyteller would let the audience decide.

"They had an energy source, one that could bind the will of a normal man and make them no more than puppets." As expected, Steve nodded in agreement, while the easily angered scientist listened curiously beside Anthony. He continued, "For others, persons holding certain power or strength of will, it was harder. It held a different effect on every individual and on us?" Loki sighed and let his eyes roam the room, finally settling on familiar brown orbs. "Take, for example, Anthony. Let us say that they had him under their spell. Now, he's already a pervert."

"Hey! I take offence to that," Tony huffed. "I'm not a pervert." His colleagues all gave him a look and he shrugged. "Okay, maybe I am, but what does that have to do with this explanation?"

Bruce chuckled at Tony's indignation. "Just let the man finish, Tony," he said softly, making the engineer roll his eyes and sigh in reluctant compliance.

"So, as I was saying," Loki continued, again, giving Anthony a cold glare for trying to interrupt his moment. "Anthony Stark is a pervert. In all probability, the energy source would turn him into a notorious sex offender." Loki pointed at the men around him. "Even you would not be safe from his advances." The man in question even had the gall to plain out laugh at this.  _Idiot._

"And on me?" Loki shifted uncomfortably. "Let us just say I had a great many conflicting emotions at the time they found me. I am not really willing to say more on this subject; I sincerely hope you can respect this. Suffice it to say, my homeless state, sickness, and wounds were a direct result of its ending." He signalled the ending of this part by simply leaning against the back of his chair.

The good captain still looked perplexed. "What about your powers? Why did you not let us know?" asked Rogers. It was obvious that he could not comprehend this part of the tale.

"To be honest, I thought them drained. And I was happy for that." Loki noted the surprise in their eyes at his words; only Banner seemed to truly understand the meaning in his words. "Anthony could not have known. Only today did he discover first-hand my true appearance."

"Can you show us?" asked Steve Rogers, his voice more understanding than before.

Loki shook his head. "I cannot. It is gone now. I have only an idea of what caused it to return."

Bruce had to ask, sensing some similarities in how Tony's assistant felt about this mutated form. "Anger?"

The ex-god shook his head in denial, a small mocking laugh escaping him. Thor was watching him closely again, a childlike curiosity bright in his eyes. "No, I merely wished to protect my friend."

The Asgardian warrior could not help but smile; for him, this was joyous news. Not only had Loki referred to the human as a friend, he had admitted to wanting to protect this human. "This is most joyous news!" declared Thor in a sudden outburst. He looked surprised at his own words.

"How dare you call it joyous!" snapped Loki, easily angered by Thor's words. "I despise that loathsome form!" He felt himself growing more angry until he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned, ready to relieve the hand from its owner, only to find himself staring into troubled brown eyes.

Tony hoped he avoided whatever was brewing between Thor and his adopted brother. "Now, now. I think the big guy here meant it well. Bob is safe because of you; you can't tell me you're not happy about this result."

Loki's blue eyes widened. He was surprised by the different feelings caused by that one hand touching him, especially accompanied by that voice. Once again, he felt…insecure? Humans were such pitiful creatures, really; it was annoying to be constantly bombarded with such things. He felt comfort from that hand, enough to calm the flare of anger he felt. For a moment, looking into Anthony's concerned face, Loki could not form any words to refute his comment.

"My apologies, Locke," offered Thor, "I did not mean to upset you." He could see now a real change in the man who was once his brother. Yet he was not fond of this sudden closeness between Loki and the Man of Iron. It was strange to not see Loki reject a stranger's touch, let alone the touch from a man he once fought so violently.

"Okay," said Tony loudly, standing up and grabbing the attention of everyone in the room. With a big smile on his face, he drew the conversation to a close. "Now that this is over, let's get this man to bed. He needs his beauty sleep; I don't want a cranky assistant in the morning."

Loki scowled up at the engineer. "Stark," he growled. "You try my patience. How would you know how I feel right now?" How dare this foolish man keep deciding what he should or should not do. Even if he was tired and longing for his bed, the idiot had no right.

"You're sleepy, Highness, don't butt in," Tony retorted, hand still on his shoulder.

Steve stood awkwardly, not entirely sure what to do with himself. He felt uncomfortable, like he was intruding on something…intimate. He knew Tony treated every person the same - too many touches, too many flirtatious remarks – but this seemed different somehow. Things could go very wrong here if Locke accidently misread these mixed signals. Perhaps Tony didn't even realize he had these feelings, though in hindsight, Steve had to admit the bickering between the two could be viewed as something more. "Tony, are you?" He didn't even know how to end the question.

"Yes, yes, I am. Now, go. Time for all good little Avengers to be off to bed," Tony spoke, while waving at his friends with his free hand. Looking down, he squeezed Loki's shoulder gently. "And that goes for you too, Locke. I don't want to see you here when I get back for a drink."

Bruce just nodded and left. It was quite obvious to him what was going on here. He just hoped his friend and lab partner would be more careful or smart this time. Not that he held any doubt about the man's intelligence, but using Tony Stark and careful in the same sentence was rather contradictory.

Steve gave up as well. There was no stopping Tony when he put his mind to something and he clearly wanted his assistant to get well-deserved rest after today's events. The good Captain did hope, however, that the man would be willing to share more of his story in the future.

"Wait." Loki spoke up before everybody left. "There are more, or there used to be more, people there. It wasn't just me and Bob."

Pushing his glasses up, Bruce replied. "You think the Chitauri have them."

"This is my assumption, Dr. Banner, yes." Loki nodded toward the doctor. "I want in on the search. I made a promise to the old man that I would help look for them. It is a promise I fully intend on keeping." Loki could feel Thor's stare at his back. He hoped those wretched blue eyes would pop out, just so he could "accidently" step on them.

When Rogers spoke, it was less Steve and far more Captain America. "All right," he said. "But in return, you help us. You've lived with them, or near them, that much is clear. I need every speck of Intel that can assist us now." His tone of voice permitted no leeway in this.

The ex-god considered the proposition, the delicate balance of risks he was taking by giving advice to an entire team of adversaries. They were great and many - everything could go wrong and he would find himself mired in complete and utter disaster - but the gain? He could  _learn_. Who knew what knowledge he could attain during this endeavour? He felt compelled to say yes, so he gave the blond man a nod. "Agreed, Captain Rogers."

At this, the man in question smiled and extended a hand to seal the deal. "Okay, Locke, you've made yourself another promise. Goodnight." Steve joined Bruce at the elevator, who was already waiting with Thor. The latter of the three looked rather uncomfortable stepping into the confines of the elevator, his eyes flickering toward Loki and Anthony before the doors closed.

Tony worked to unclench his jaw and relieve the tension the day had brought. "That's a lot of promises you made there, Loki. Think you can keep them?" he asked, knowing both of them were finally alone, at least, for the time being. It was a risky question, but one that he had to ask. His teammates would certainly ask a lot from the man before him, perhaps things that the ex-god would not be able answer without revealing himself. The engineer had to be sure that Loki truly wanted this.

After more than a full month of absence, Loki's true name on another's lips sounded strange, foreign. "I have always kept my promises, Stark. Even if this is hard to believe for the likes of you," hissed the tall blond, affronted by this accusation directed at him. "I merely worked around them when it suited me." Loki took note of the sigh that escaped from the shorter brown-haired man, the eyebrows betraying a tiny hint of the underlying emotion. He was surprised by what he saw. "You are worried for me."

"Hell yes. I am worried about what they will ask," Tony sighed. "I am worried about what you need to tell them." He paused, a frown displaying the unpleasant thoughts coursing through his mind. "I am worried they will find out about you."

The moment of silence that followed was heavy and thick with emotion. It was almost tangible, close by but just beyond Loki's comprehension. The ex-god inhaled deeply with the thought that perhaps he could taste a sample then he could identify this thing surrounding him, making him grow fretful. It was almost enough to make him forget the question that lay heaviest on his mind, the one that left him amazed.

"Why did you not tell them?" It was almost a whisper. Yet another question lay unspoken, only visible behind the blue sheen of his eyes.  _Why did you stay?_

The line of Tony's worrisome frown faded as he peered deeply into cold, interrogating blue eyes. No, not cold and icy at all - those cerulean eyes held warmth as well. Tony wondered if Loki knew what emotions his eyes portrayed: warmth, uncertainty, and a hesitant hint of fear. It wasn't the kind of fear that comes from other people, events, or the monsters hidden in the closet, but the fright of the terrible unknown.

Tony couldn't look away. "I didn't want to tell them." Those unrelenting beautiful eyes stared back at him. He knew Loki was not fully satisfied with the given answer, that he craved more words and sentences, further explanation. "I don't want you to leave."

_Me...I don't want you to leave **me.**_

Tony Stark stepped closer to the tall, blond ex-god and pulled him to his feet. He was unfaltering and steady as he spoke, staring into the tumultuous storm of those eyes. "Look, you're not deaf, Loki. You heard my words back there and I really meant them."

The air seemed to crack and sizzle between them as Loki held their shared gaze. "Then you truly are a fool, as I previously inferred." He paused, placing his long, elegant index finger under the bearded chin of the engineer. Raising the head of its owner without much force, Loki almost purred the rest. "Tell me, Anthony, how did you come by your knowledge?"

Tony's mind went hazy with desire in that moment. Back was that wickedly smooth, alluring voice, whispering to him, tempting him to speak, to act, to reach out and trace the lips from which that melodious sound flowed. Oh, how he had wanted to speak and say what was lying heavy and heated on his mind. Now he could. He would talk and any repercussions initiated could only be welcomed with open arms. "Remember a few days ago, when you were so incredibly horny?"

"I've tried not to, Stark."  _But you make it so very difficult._

"If you need to, I'm more than willing to re-enact the whole scene. It might trigger that ancient memory of yours," replied Tony with a smirk, one that held a delicious promise of wanton, heated touches. "Rock of ages."

"There is nothing wrong with my memory; all visceral functions are working perfectly." Loki's finger slid slowly over the bearded chin, accompanied by its brothers. He held Anthony's face steady between his thumb and fingers. His grip was sufficient, maybe even menacing if seen from a distance, but for the one in its grasp, it was nothing short of enticing. "Make your point, Anthony."

"Well, I remember a similar mood to this one, although more alcohol was involved. Which reminds me - would you care for a drink?" Tony was deliberately stalling his answer, if only because he could.

"I might take a sip or a bite of something, if I'm sufficiently pleased with your answer," murmured the tall, blond assistant, licking his lips at the mention of tasting something with body temperature. He was currently enjoying this foreplay, this smouldering tug of war. It lacked the anger, annoyance, or other particularly disturbing feelings their earlier discussions held. Instead, it was laced with a strong desire to possess the other man who was oh so obviously willing. And if this was meant to be a war, then Loki would conquer and savour his well-earned spoils.

If Tony leant any further forward now, their bodies would touch. Delaying was torture, a sweet, merciless torture of anticipation that he underwent willingly. "Afterwards, you were spent, panting and tired. So very tired, Loki, that you carelessly spilled words. How unlike you." He returned the teasing with a daring undertone, his hands itching to feel the warm body in front of him. Tony laid a finger on Loki's chest, feeling it rise and sink deeply with each breath. "I swear, you're so clingy too, I couldn't get you off me even if I had wanted." With agonizing slowness, he ran his finger down the dress shirt, pulling each button from its place. Tony wished he were able burn Loki's skin, hoped that his near impossible desire would seep through his touch. "I bet you even forgot that I never apologized."

The ex-god internally cursed his attire when Anthony's finger lingered on the last button of his shirt, toying with it playfully, as if he didn't have a care in the world. Loki wanted his curiosity sated and impatience was starting to overcome him. The thought of ending this charade and pushing Stark against the wall to have his way with him started to seem like a rather tasty option. "You owe me an apology. If it was not for your moronic act of drinking and driving, I would have fared better than now."

Loki's hand moved, tracing the curve of his neck, making Tony shiver in delight. Still, the engineer found the will to talk back. "You owe me an apology for throwing me out the window."

Loki found the vague memory stored deeply in the back of his mind. "Defenestration," Tony heard the the tall blond rumble, breath heavy in the spell of lust.

Tony's hardened length twitched. He'd done nothing and already his arousal was so spiked up. Never in his life had Tony imagined conversations to be laced and dipped in sex like this one. It was vocal foreplay, bringing them both to the edge. "Fuck, you sound like sex personified."

"Hmmmm." Loki's hands began moving on automatic now, tracing the sides of the muscular frame belonging to that annoying, but delicious genius. "I was once a god."

The engineer saw a smirk spreading on Loki's face and for Tony, this only added to his aroused state of mind. That look heightened the pleasure he was already feeling as those cold hands started to roam his body in hunger. And that voice! That voice should be forbidden and called a sin. The brown-haired engineer lost himself when the other man's hands found the bulge in his pants, cupping it and adding antagonizing pressure. He cried out loudly, intense ecstasy filling the moan that now escaped him.

Tony fell further as an equally hungry set of lips covered his, drawing him into a demanding kiss of skillful tongue play, one he returned instantly with the same kind of crazed intensity. Hands rubbed down hard on his crotch, roughly stroking him through the fabric of his pants. Tony still held the last button of Loki's dress shirt in his hands, long ago torn from the offending clothing. He pulled the article out of Loki's pants, where it had been previously tucked, all but ripping it open. He had to have his hands on that alabaster chest with immediate urgency. Somehow, between his embarrassing moans and Loki's low, feral rumble, Tony managed to suggest moving to the nearest bedroom. Thankfully, that was his own. It would at least save them from stopping for the sake of finding lube.

Neither of them could make the short travel unscathed. The button Stark had held in his hand had fallen on the floor, followed by the rest of Loki's dress shirt and the Iron Maiden t-shirt worn by the genius billionaire. The ex-god had pinned the other man against the door frame, lips still locked in hot, sloppy kisses complete with torturous licks from an agile tongue. The short brown-haired man tried to open the door, but was severely distracted by the firm touches of long, slender fingers fumbling with the engineer's belt.

The door finally opened and Loki all but pushed Anthony inside, eager to take root on the bed and explore every cavern and hidden crook of the writhing body in front of him. He slammed the door shut behind them, lifting his blazing eyes toward the lust-consumed engineer who stumbled backwards, the hollow of his knees hitting the bed. Loki hated the short moment in which his hands stopped roaming the other's skin, but granted, the sight before him was worth it. He could finally really look at the engineer who had let himself fall back on the dark crimson bed-sheets.

Brown eyes, heavy and lined with deep, all-consuming want, stared at him, a cocky smile blossoming on Anthony's face as he bit his bruised bottom lip. The engineer knew what Loki wanted, what they both wanted, and was planning on having it. Not that Loki could refuse any longer, not with this deep need nestled inside of him. He watched as the shorter man undid the metal clasp of his black leather belt and raised his hips to remove those bothersome, restricting black pants. At this point, the ex-god wasn't even remotely surprised that he found the man on the bed utterly gorgeous.

Tony watched as Loki's tongue slipped out of his mouth, licking his lips as if viewing a tasty meal. And then, seemingly in the blink of an eye, the tall man was there, standing over him at the bed's edge. Cold hands aided Tony in tugging off his pants, slithering back up again to successfully lower his shorts, leaving Tony fully naked on the bed. Smooth velvet kisses traced his inner thigh as a hand teasingly slid from his knee toward his erect member. It killed the engineer to feel those palms so tauntingly near his aching member only to move past it and climb their way up his sides. He voiced his displeasure with a groan.

The engineer felt Loki smirk at his impatience, only to be rewarded by a sudden, wet, hot, and very real mouth closing around his member. He could feel his eyes roll back as the ex-god took him in, twisting a skillful tongue that was sure to send his soul to hell. One hard suck before those luscious lips left him was all he got.

"Now that I've had a sip, it's time to move to the main course, don't you think, Anthony?" His voice was dark and deep with the desire he felt. His mouth was currently trailing upward, across the muscular frame of the engineer. He wanted, needed to taste more of this strange man. Long slender fingers strayed between the dark-brown curls surrounding Stark's erection, finding playful enjoyment as the man in question gasped for air and rocked his hips under his nimble touch.

That teasing thumb and those quick fingers knew when to stop and go, thought Tony as he bucked upward again. Those rapid, speeding strokes were nothing short of devastatingly magical. If he didn't know better, he'd say they were exactly that. The ex-god brought him to the brink, only to make him suffer at the last moment. "Shit...you..." He really wanted to speak, but as Loki's hand twisted and slid over his oh-so-sensitive head, only a frantic moan escaped him. Fierce, haunting lips hovering over his captured and muted the sound.

The engineer's arms snaked around Loki, drawing the man closer to him. Somehow, in-between the hungry twists of tongue and teeth, Tony managed to speak, although it was more of a demanding growl than an actual sentence. "Get out of those pants. Now."

The ex-god merely smirked against his lips. "I'd like to see you try, Stark." As much as he wanted to explore, taste, touch, and take absolute delight with Anthony's nude body, a part of him also longed for the other to be more active in his participation. Anthony had never, as of yet, passed on a dare.

Loki was not disappointed when the arms around his back moved, holding him tight as the engineer put his weight against him, flipping them around on the bed. Those brown eyes held lusty promise and determination at this dare and there was no denying the fact that the engineer's body looked fantastically carnal from this perspective. "I might even let you stay on top if you play nice, Anthony," Loki murmured seductively before rolling his hips, grinding his still covered erection against the other.

"Nnnngh… screw nice." Tony managed to grab the hand that was reaching out to stroke his nether regions again. He pinned it down successfully, although probably not for long if Loki's grin was anything to go by. The genius swore that he'd never undone a pair of pants faster in his life than now, let alone the pants of another man. Impatient as he was, Loki's underwear was pulled down at the same time, finally freeing the man's lively and erect member of its suffocating clutch.

It was very hard for Tony not to lick his lips at the sight. But before the brown-haired engineer went any further, he scooted over, reaching to his night stand for the lube. On his return, Tony felt adept fingers curl around his penis, setting an anguishing, slow, and relentless pace. He wasn't going to last long if Loki kept at his agile playing. "Fuck, Loki, I can't last like this," he panted. "Either fuck me now or I'll pound you into this mattress myself."

"Tsk, tsk. Such harsh words, Anthony," replied the tall and now very naked ex-god, watching his lover through his heated gaze. "A shame I can't do anything right now. I find myself rather occupied at the moment." He brought extra force to his statement by adding some extra pressure to his strokes. "But you're welcome to lend yourself a hand, Anthony."

 _I'm sleeping with the devil_. Tony bit back a moan and added a sufficient amount of lube to his fingers and reached back. It was a strange, unknown sensation, to be doing such a thing to himself. At least he got to set his own pace now. Tony was not doing this unprepared again, lest he walk crooked for days. As the first finger settled in, stretching and relaxing the tight ring of muscle, he found himself in need of going faster, further, anything to get him opened and ready. The devil he straddled showed him no mercy, gradually bringing him closer before slowing the speed of his cruel caress.

Loki stopped breathing and his heart skipped a beat when Anthony suddenly impaled himself on his throbbing length in one swift movement. He gasped for air, stopping every motion his body made. Both the ex-god and the engineer reveled in this feeling, eyes locked with each other and mouths parted in silent moans. Softly, Loki bucked his hips upward, encouraging the shorter man to continue.

No further encouragement was needed for Tony than the look of sheer pleasure and abandonment on Loki's face. The wild emotions he saw in those deep blue eyes were enough to keep going, to make that sinful, devious man moan for more as Tony rode him into further oblivion. Soon enough, he found a comfortable pace and began to thoroughly appreciate this position. No wonder women liked to be on top if this was the view, as the genius noted what he saw.

Tony's eyes roamed over Loki, the ever-unrelenting, cold-looking god who had become what was laying underneath his hips - a gorgeous man whose hands held his hips firmly, whose whole body and expression exuded the pleasure he was feeling. A real, touchable person, one who had lost himself in the moment, uncaring of the exquisite noises he was making. He was the image of sexual pleasure and divinity, more godlike now than ever before.

Loki's eyelids were half-closed in intoxicating bliss as Anthony enthusiastically rode his cock. For a change, it did not feel awkward or misguided to give up a fraction of control. He dug his nails into the engineer's sides and thrust upward, making the sweat-covered man cry out in pleasure. "Well, that certainly hit the spot," breathed Loki with a grin, voice heavy with lust. Panting, he met the other man with each move, thrusting deep and slow to stimulate that sweet spot nestled inside.

 _Dear God_. The brown-haired genius knew he could not last like this and whatever control he had on top was fading rapidly. That feeling of being full suffused Tony and the piercing assault on his ass left him with white spots dancing in the corners of his eyes. No part of him could carry on moving on like this. "Loki," he gasped, calling out the other's name, his real name. No vocal answer came, but the blue-eyed man looked up at him with a smile on his face. "I can't…" Tony whispered. "Fuck me, Loki." He growled, "Take me."

It did not need to be said twice. The aroused ex-god rose from his position, his member still seated deep inside the other man, and leant forward, giving Anthony the chance to wrap his legs around him. Half-cradling the engineer in this new position, he went to business. People who asked to be taken always got what they bargained for, perhaps even more. The set pace rose in velocity: it was ruthless now, burning, fast, and impossibly hard.

Teeth scraped the skin of the engineer's neck, once again marking him. Loki moaned loudly as he thrust again and again, a sound so melodious that it could be easily be one of the most beautiful things Tony had ever heard. Neither of them could last for much longer. Tony was the first to go, right after a piercing hit to his prostate and a simultaneous bite on his shoulder. His cries made Loki lose himself shortly after, shooting his white load straight into the engineer. Slowly, they rocked, riding out their orgasms; Loki even let his forehead rest on Anthony's shoulder in fatigue.

Tony was the first to speak. "Dear God, you've ruined me. I don't think it's humanly possible to have better sex than this." His vision was still slightly blurred from the intensity of his orgasm while his heart raced.

Finally able to fill his lungs with cool air, the ex-god answered, mind still fuzzy from release. "I do hope that is a challenge." He planted a kiss on the warm sweat-covered skin of the other man, tasting the salty evidence of their exhausting pastime.

Loki sunk down onto the soft bed sheets, taking a surprised Tony with him. "That definitely is a challenge." Once again the ex-god proved to be weary and longing for rest. This time, Tony hoped he'd remember every spoken word. The genius rolled over and reached to grab a handful of tissues to clean the seed he spilled over the tall man's chest. "Stay here," he whispered, "I need a quick shower."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok my second time writing a sex scene was easier than the first. *Phew*
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you guys for reading, following and favoriting my story. 
> 
> Feel free to leave a review since they feed my hungry hungry soul.
> 
>  
> 
> Last but not least thanks goes out to my beta xenia007 and swordmisstress


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> disclaimer: i do not own marvel

 

**Chapter 25**

Somewhere between the early hour of four and the rising sun, Loki awoke to find himself still sharing the bed with Anthony, who was sleeping peacefully. Their limbs were entangled and the engineer's head lay in the crook of his neck. The ex-god's eyes adjusted slowly to the bright blue light of the arc reactor, now uncovered by a shirt or suit. He caught himself studying the illuminated features of the brown-haired man and smiling.

Without waking the sleeping genius, Loki slid out of bed, heading toward the bathroom to relieve his bladder. Still sleep-drunk, he rubbed his eyes and when he opened them, the trickster looked straight into the large mirror. As much as the ex-god still despised the cold blue of the eyes staring back at him, they stopped being surprising after a while. Loki had however, grown used to, and became even fond of, his unruly blond hair. It had a delightfully defiant nature, just like its master, doing what it wanted even if Loki meticulously styled it in the morning. That one annoying lock of hair always hung in front of his vision and the rest of the slightly curling strands rose as the day progressed, giving him bed hair before he even hit the sheets. It was extremely pesky at first, yet quite enjoyable once he got used to it.

Loki frowned slightly, touching his long neck after noticing a spot on it. Wetting his finger, he tried to rub it off in vain. He blinked and removed his hand, giving the mark closer inspection.  _By the Nine, that fool_! Anthony had marked him without his consent and in such a visible place, it would prove difficult to hide from prying eyes...if he hid it at all, that was. A mischievous smile played along the corners of his mouth; with this, he could certainly place the engineer in a compromising situation and feast on sweet revenge while doing so. Ah yes, he would have fun embarrassing Stark with this once morning came.

Then he realized that he wasn't actually feeling any anger toward this unsolicited mark. On the contrary, he was actually feeling quite content at its presense. This did nothing to diminish the urge to seek revenge for such an act, however. With haste, Loki turned off the bathroom lights and left. He needed to head back to his own quarters, it wasn't right to be here. He just needed to…

The ex-god froze on the spot when he saw his imprint on the bed sheets, a distinctly empty shape left behind by him. Anthony had stirred while sleeping, his calloused hand now settled where Loki had lain, taking in the last of his remaining body heat. Loki could swear the expression on the brown-haired man's face had changed into something that portrayed longing. _Here lay Anthony Stark, as naked and vulnerable as the day he was born._

Loki had an endless list of deceptions, schemes, and gruesome actions - blood was on his hands without a doubt - yet the engineer had simply accepted him. Either not caring or ignoring his previous actions, Stark chose willingly to let a person who tried to murder him, in his house no less, in his bed. He could not have been unaware that Loki could remove his lifeline and watch him die a slow torturous death as the shrapnel pierced the most vital organ in his body. Yet here he lay, disturbed by Loki's absence.

Once, the trickster would have done the deed with great pleasure. Stark would have begged to live and the ex-god would have watched and smiled in madness. But now, he was slightly stunned by the fact that Anthony placed this amount of trust in his hands. The opportunity was here, laying on the bed before him, yet Loki did nothing more than return to that bed, refilling the empty space he had left behind earlier.

The trickster tugged on the thick, fluffy sheets, covering their naked bodies before the cold air chilled them. Automatically, the genius moved closer to him without waking from his slumber, his leg draping over Loki's and one of Anthony's hands curling on his chest. The light of the small arc reactor created a shadow-play over Loki's body. The engineer's face was so close that Loki could feel the other man's soft, warm breaths tickling his ears.

Sleep washed over him and Loki closed his eyes as he slowly drifted away. Perhaps he really should have torn out the arc on the first day, shattering and crushing any hope with it in the process. It was days, weeks too late now. Both of them were foolish men, Loki thought, while yawning. For no longer did he want to tear and smash that piece of technology keeping the engineer alive. Not when Anthony made him feel so…

* * *

The bright "A" of Stark Tower spread a light of hope over the half-slumbering city. It was a beacon for them now, a sign that out there, extraordinary people worked hard to keep the inhabitants of the city safe from harm. And like the city, where people always worked all night, the large tower never truly slept either. At any given moment during the day, be it early afternoon or an ungodly late hour, there was always somebody awake in the modern glass and steel structure. This dark night was no exception to that rule for inside, Dr. Bruce Banner was still working in one of the laboratories and Thor was standing outside on one of the balconies, his unfaltering gaze peering over the city and its almost endless lights.

Each of the heroes had felt the trouble that was brewing underneath their feet. They knew Chitauri had crawled and searched the surface of this place, their reptilian eyes watching from the dark shadows of the city. The creatures wanted more than just petty revenge and finding Loki was just an added bonus now. Thor and the other Avengers would face this battle courageously, wielding weaponry and knowledge against them. He had his mighty hammer Mjolnir to summon forth bone-shattering lightning. He would deal deadly blows to any enemy brave, or stupid, enough to face the Asgardian warrior head-on.

Thor frowned at the lights sparkling in the city, the lights cutting the darkness into shadow and obscuring the stars of the sky. Any danger heading Loki's way - and oh, it was surely coming for the mischievous ex-god - would have to be faced alone, or at least, without his aid. For the broad-shouldered Asgardian had made a vow not to interfere with the dealings of the cast out prince, even if his brother faced a foe who was entirely capable of rendering him cut him into tiny pieces given his newly-found, and very human, mortality. And if Loki's true nature was discovered? Thor knew that S.H.I.E.L.D. would be less than accepting of Asgardian justice and this particular form of punishment - Loki would be caught and placed in a dark, damp cell, left to rot for his crimes. Loki would receive no chance at redemption then and there was nothing Thor could do to stop any of it from happening. His only comfort was that he could still say good morning to his little brother, even if he had to greet Locke rather than Loki.

And then there was the Man of Iron, with his will to keep the trickster safe. It had been unexpected, unbelievable, but very much a reality. Thor had been full of doubt regarding this strange showing of comaraderie, so he headed toward the quarters of his friend. Surely the Man of Iron would recognize the question on his mind even with this imposed silence on the matter.

As Thor entered the penthouse suite, the undeniable sounds of enthusiastic mating coming from the man's private chambers stopped him from advancing. No sane man would disturb another during the act of sex, it was not something to be done except in the most dire of circumstances. Stark was well-known for having a reputation of bringing home women when it pleased him and Thor grinned at his friend's carnal appetite. His questions would wait until morning.

Thor was ready to leave until he heard a familiar name groaned in ecstasy. Anger rose in him and his hold on Mjolnir became stronger. Could his friend be so unwise that he would dare try and take advantage of Loki? But there was no interfering, no storming in and asking what the other Avenger was doing with his brother, as another voice, dark and melodious, cried out from inside the room, "Anthony!"

Thor left immediately, ashamed for thinking badly about the Man of Iron and his instinct to interrupt what was obviously consensual. Because what they were doing in there, those vocal sounds, were not those of a person doing something truly unwanted. As the Asgardian waited outside after the volume and sounds had diminished, he took note of the fact that Loki had not left the room. By all means, it surprised Thor that his younger brother willingly stayed and slept there with the other man.

He hoped Loki found a shard of happiness, even if he feared that it was bound to end one day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that this was a strange chapter, but neither of these pieces seemed to belong to chapter 24 or the next. So instead of trying to fit them in a place where they obviously don't belong i took the liberty of posting them like this.  
> After this contemplative chapter we are back in action.
> 
> Thank you readers for your patience.
> 
> Feel free to leave a review, if you like.
> 
> Beta for this chapter was xenia007 and swordmisstress


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> disclaimer: i do not own marvel

**Chapter 26**

Early morning coffee had never tasted better or more victorious than in this moment. This day started out so differently from his usual pace. Not for one moment had he thought that sharing a room with the mischievous Loki was strange. Somehow, he felt he could actually get used to having another person with him in his private quarters, be they the bedroom or his workshop.

He trusted the ex-god for some obscure reason - that former evil mastermind who had slept in soundless comfort, waking up with a soft, graceful, but all-too-knowing smile on his face. Just before Tony left the room, the tall trickster rose from the bed and stretched his naked frame like a lean cat before walking toward the engineer. Tony could not remove his eyes from this entrancing vision of Loki, who still held a peculiar expression of contentment on his face.

The brown-haired engineer was expecting the ex-god to stride to the bathroom, but those insufferably beautiful blue eyes were locked on his own. "I do expect a hot beverage when I return from the shower, Anthony," demanded the man before him. At that moment, Tony half expected to see Loki stride out of his room butt-naked, just because the ex-god was too proud to use his facilities, but no, the golden-haired man stayed, showing that nobody could predict his movements. In fact, Tony could never have predicted Loki's next action.

A real kiss.

Not a hasty peck on the cheek or a fast touch of lips, but a real, even tender, kiss claiming Tony's mouth. Loki's hands ran through his hair, stroking his scalp as the kiss deepened and caused a pleasant fire to burn inside him. Reluctantly, they parted and the ex-god only spoke the following words before he sauntered into the bathroom, "I'll see you soon."

Tony headed to the kitchen, finding himself starting the same morning ritual of the past weeks. Bruce was already there, biting down in a green apple, deep–brown eyes scanning what was apparently an important note. Tony peered over the Bruce's shoulder to see what was so interesting. The scientist acknowledged his presence with a nod before returning to the morning lecture he had brought with him. It was fun having another person around that shared the same love of knowledge and science. Sometimes, neither of them used words during work, those things simply became obsolete after a while.

After preparing his own large cup of hot, black coffee, Tony started to prepare a second one when a familiar voice sounded from behind him. "Stark, it is unusual to see you up this early."  _Natasha, my favourite ex-assistant._

"Why are you preparing coffee for two?" she asked, immediately questioning the one thing in the kitchen area that seemed truly off.

Tony heard the sound of more footsteps behind him and decided to ignore them. He continued to make the blasphemy of a drink Loki called coffee. The sound of high heels ticking on his floor made it very clear Pepper was among the owners of the footsteps while the heavy, sturdy steps surely belonged to the good Captain.

"It's probably for his assistant, Locke," Steve said, answering Natasha's question. "According to Tony, the man gets crabby when he doesn't drink caffeine in the morning. But I think he's an okay guy."

The engineer heard the widow give curious "hmmmm" to the answer. No doubt, she was well-informed of his current personal assistant, knowing all the finer details and specifics by now. He would have been disappointed otherwise, but he also feared her interrogating gaze. He knew how easily she would know that he was holding something back, something unsaid, something hidden. It was an incomplete puzzle and he and Loki held the important parts. He knew it was only a matter of time before she ferretted out the information, but he was determined not to let that show on his face as he continued to stir the coffee.

"Where is Robin Hood?" Tony asked her directly, turning to face the woman, whose normally emotionless face was no less intimidating at the moment. Tony knew exactly how dangerous the Widow could be and of all the Avengers, how very dangerous she was to Loki right now. "Now that I think about it, he probably…"

"What the heck, Tony?" Tony blinked at the All-American superhero who was looking at him with a disappointed puppy-eyed look on his face. "You've got to be kidding me. At a time like this? If she's still here, I want her gone."

 _What the...? Oh. Right_. Loki had kissed him and tousled his hair to an even more insane state than it normally was, not to mention the evidence of a rather recent love bite half-hiding under the hem of his t-shirt. He scoffed. "Since when can't I get laid in my own house? Everybody in this place should have sex at least once a week. Especially you, Captain Virginity," Tony grinned, pointing at Steve. "Seventy years on ice is too long."

"Wait a minute here," noted the Black Widow, who was still looking at him curiously. "Stark, what you do with your private life isn't our business, even if I agree with Rogers that bringing women here is really not appropriate at the moment. But," she questioned, looking at him with prying eyes, "more than that, why are you personally preparing coffee for your assistant?" With this, she crossed her arms, putting emphasis on the "you" part of her inquiry.

Tony fought the urge to squirm under her gaze. He was feeling more and more like a curiosity about to be dissected and he was getting annoyed with the impromptu interrogation. He couldn't blame her for the question, though. If someone had told him months ago that the great Anthony Stark would be pouring coffee voluntarily for another man, he'd have called them mad. "Can't I be nice?"

"No," replied Natasha immediately, giving him no choice but to further the discussion.

Tony let an annoyed sigh escape his lips. "Look, if I don't get the Prickly Princess his morning coffee, I'm stuck with a cranky pain in the ass all day." The engineer was so engrossed in his conversation with the black-clothed spy that he failed to notice the soft footsteps of Loki as he entered the room. It wasn't until Natasha's eyes moved that he noticed the other man, but by then, it was already too late. He was a sitting duck.

With an air of grace, Loki retrieved the mug of coffee from Tony's hand, placing a rather modest peck on his cheek. Instantly, Tony knew he was doomed and inwardly, he begged the ex-god not to open that devious mouth.

"I have yet to receive complaints about the pain in your ass, Anthony," Loki commented in that seductive voice of his. The trickster smiled wickedly, lips curling upward in a smile that made Tony truly wonder if he was friend or foe.

And fuck, this wasn't how it was supposed to go! There was no way that the hint of red he could feel creeping on his face was real. Tony Stark never got embarrassed, let alone tricked into something like this. That sly bastard had planned this whole thing before he even left the room, messing up his hair to make sure somebody would notice. And boy, had they! Now the entire room, including Pepper, was drowning in disturbing silence. He needed to get a smart-ass comment out right now before it was too late, but the hand Loki left lingering on his shoulder drew all his attention. The tiny, out-of-place blush across his cheeks was perfect blackmail for either Pepper or Natasha if they wanted something from him. He mentally facepalmed.

_I'm so screwed._

Pepper was the first one to let out a snicker and the Russian redhead just smiled knowingly. Bruce already knew the situation, so he just carried on eating, merely observing everybody's reactions with a small, amused expression. Steve was as white as a sheet when realisation sank in and the tall blond just had to say it out loud. "You never had haemorrhoids." It only made Pepper's laugh more apparent when she tried to hide it behind her hand. Even Bruce was starting to grin.

But Tony wouldn't be Tony if he hadn't formulated a reply in those long seconds. Better late than never, of course. "I can't help being this irresistible, so it was bound to happen. Of course, there hasn't been an assistant I haven't slept with; can't ruin that reputation because of a silly thing called gender. And no," retorted the genius, pointing his finger towards the Russian women's general direction, "you don't count." He grinned. "Imagine the possibilities I have now as the most handsome bisexual man on the planet."

Loki removed his hand from the engineer's shoulder, sliding it teasingly down his arm. "I do hope you are not insinuating that you will share a bed with another, Anthony," he said, voice laced with something unidentifiable. All Tony heard in that sentence was, " _You are mine."_

"Wait! Are you jealous, darling?" Tony mocked, looking straight at the trickster, who had resumed drinking his coffee with a deadpan look on his face. But the engineer saw he had struck a nerve in those mesmerising blue eyes; there really was a gleam of possessiveness shining deep within them, something he actually found himself enjoying. "You are, aren't you, Highness?"

His statement didn't make Loki's calm face falter in the slightest; in fact, if it wasn't for those emotion-filled eyes, Tony would have thought he was a heartless man playing a cruel trick. "Stark, don't be silly."

"Okay, this is it. You two sound like a married couple arguing over home decoration." The others snickered at this, but Steve ignored Tony's eyebrow raised in question and said, "Dear Lord, this explains so much. So does this mean that you two are boyfriends?"

Tony had fallen silent at the words of his broad-shouldered friend - did they really sound like that? - but he couldn't let that comment go. "I'd hardly call myself a boy, Steve, since I can take it like a man," replied Tony lewdly, with a wink. He basked in the small victory as his heroic friend turned that lovely shade of tomato-red. "Now, Natasha, to what do we owe the pleasure? I'm sure you're not here to ask how I am in bed?"

The spy leveled her gaze at him. "I am here with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s reports on disappearances and missing persons during the past few weeks, as well as spots where the homeless tend to gather. Clint and Thor are checking out some of the areas in hope of evidence, but we didn't find anything in the area where Locke used to stay. It was emptied out." Tony kept looking at her, knowing that it wasn't the last of it. "Fury expects your call."

 _Figures_. "I'll get back to him later, when I feel like it. Will you guys be staying at the tower?" enquired the engineer.

"Yes," Natasha replied, nodding slightly. "I'll be going now, but Clint and I will back in the evening with useful Intel." Tony saw her eyes scan Loki; intelligent eyes taking him in and deeming his worth. He knew that the trickster chose not to stare back, but nevertheless, the genius could feel cold sweat running down along his spine.

How long did they have before everything came crashing down violently? Natasha was as deadly a force to be reckoned with as any. If any of them could pry the truth from his lips, it would be the Widow. It didn't matter that Loki was no longer was the brooding, dark god locked in a glass cage. Yes, the tall man had changed for the better, if Tony out ruled the mischief. True, his golden locks, sky-blue eyes, and slightly altered face would never give away his true persona at first glance, but the Russian spy had the power to look beyond that. The short time she spent interrogating the previously caged god would have given the woman enough information about his mannerisms and quirks. In the end, Tony thought she would be the one to truly recognise the god, she would notice the way the edge of his lips curled upwards when he smirked. And honestly, he had no idea how to handle the inevitable.

Tony saw Loki finally meet her prying gaze and the mischievous one spoke. "I do not believe we have been introduced." Loki reached out a hand. "Pleased to make your acquaintance. I'm Locke Ladislav." Politely, they shook each other's hands, the Black Widow still wary of the actions of a stranger.

"Natasha," she stated, returning the handshake. "I respect what you did, but that doesn't mean I trust you." Her voice betrayed no emotion, but Tony knew Loki would be a wild card in her eyes until she could decide his role in all of this. If he wasn't careful around her, their house of cards would fall.

"He has my trust, Natasha. That should say enough." Of all people, Tony knew that Natasha was one of the few who would understand that his trust never came easy, not with all that had happened to him in these past few years. Right now, he trusted only a handful of people and even then, he kept certain thoughts and emotions to himself. Opening up to a person meant showing his wounds, his vulnerability. Why he tried this with an ex-super-villain, of all people, was beyond his own knowledge. He was probably going crazy.

Steve noticed the subtle tension in Tony's posture and tried to defuse the situation a bit by pulling the conversation back to more immediate needs. "I'll also be taking my leave, but I'll be going in conventional clothing. The Stars and Stripes would get too much attention on the streets. This way, I'll cover more ground." He nodded toward Tony, Bruce, and Locke. "I trust that you guys can handle the information search. If you find anything, even a speck of dust in the wrong place, let us know."

Steve continued, moving toward the door with Natasha in tow. "If we find anything, you three will be the first ones to know. Tony, we might need your help later if anything shows up." Watching them leave, it never ceased to amaze Tony how Steve swapped from an earnest man-out-of-time to commander with just a few words.

* * *

When the two scientists and ex-god reached Stark's large workshop, the lights had been turned on and Jarvis had prepared an impressive scale-sized three-dimensional blueprint of New York City. Tony clapped his hands and grinned, ready for science to take place. "Okay, kids, let's get to work!" A small robot parked in the corner whizzed enthusiastically. "No, not you Dummy, go and make some tea for Bruce or something." His words resulted in the robot riding down the lab in the wrong direction, almost like a sulking child. "Jarvis, have you decoded and stored all of Natasha's data?"

"Yes, sir, and I have proceeded to trace it to its origin, 'digging deeper' as you once recommended."

"You sneaky bastard, I didn't program you for that," Tony commented with a cheeky grin on his face. "I like it. Found anything interesting yet?"

"No, sir, but it is just a matter of time."

Bruce glanced his way. "Fury?"

"So far, he's done absolutely nothing to earn my trust, always hiding half of what we need to know somewhere up his sleeve. I don't expect it to be any different this time with that one-eyed fucker." The engineer used his experienced fingers at the holographic lay-out, making certain areas light up in a blue shade. One bright spot marked their starting point: the abandoned box-filled slum where Loki had killed one of those creatures.

"Sir, I have located something that might be of use."

"Bring it up, Jarvis." A new display appeared suspended in mid-air: documents about defective Chitauri weaponry. In the final moments of the invasion of New York, Tony steered a nuke through the portal, the warhead creating an explosion large enough to bring down their impressive mother ship and disable its smaller sub-units. In the almost deafening silence after the portal closed, the alien invaders, their artillery, and their vehicles had dropped down to the cold earth, completely inert, only to be whisked away by S.H.I.E.L.D. with impressive speed. Tony frowned in concentration as he started parsing through the images, his mind running through all the variables and not liking any of them.

* * *

Loki recognised it - the passion igniting in the engineer's eyes when ideas flickered to life behind them. He understood the way the genius's mind blocked out all of reality as he worked for hours, uncaring regarding health and need of sleep. Loki knew it took years of learning and struggling to achieve the level of ease which the man used to skillfully craft and manipulate his inventions.

It was as if a mirror had been held in front of him, mimicking his dedication to gaining control over his talents and learning ancient lore. He remembered well those long years he had spent alone in a dusty library, accompanied by nothing but his passion while poring through the invaluable books of old by candlelight. Few within Asgard knew or appreciated the written knowledge, preferring to replace it with mindless battle and drinking contests. No one had recognised Loki's powerful magic for its true worth, deeming it nothing more than petty tricks.

It was a mistake the trickster had made himself upon his earlier "visit" to Earth, dismissing the red and gold Iron Man as merely a flashy, victory-hungry warrior. He had failed to recognise what lay beneath the shining metal exterior. The ex-god had come to terms with the man inside of that metal harness: Anthony truly had a brilliant mind.

_For a Midgardian._

Loki grinned mischievously at the engineer as he watched, his intelligent eyes absorbing every detail in the files maneuvering in mid-air, finding nothing out of the ordinary or noting forgotten details. As curious flickerings in the genius's brown eyes alerted him to new findings, he scanned over the text and images now being shown. The ex-god could not hold the surprised gasp that escaped him at what he saw before him.

 _Trickery_. Loki thought his eyes must be betraying him. The hive had been vanquished, destroying the signal that kept the Chitauri and their organic built weaponry pulsing with life. He had seen the result himself as the Avengers dragged him, bound and gagged, through the streets to his new cell. Every Chitauri soldier passed had been reduced to cold flesh, their guns and vehicles rendered useless. What Loki saw before him could not, should not be, yet evidence to the contrary was blazing with life in the hologram, file labelled Item 47.

"Anything you'd like to share with the rest of the class, Locke?" asked Banner, looking at Loki with concerned eyes. He must have looked skittish in his human skin. The scientist was right; Loki did feel a hint of distress surging through his veins.

"They never left," said Loki through clenched teeth, the sound almost a hiss. Two pairs of brown eyes looked at him in confusion. It was obviously an answer neither of the two other men had expected and the unasked question was apparent on both their faces. There was no way around this except a clear explanation. Loki knew any other words and stories would ring false, ending in unfavourable outcomes for all involved.

Banner looked curiously at the tall man, noting the familiar and sudden stillness of holding distress at bay. "What do you mean they never left? All the dead were taken care of; none remained, not even for research." He wondered how such a thing could be possible, that even S.H.I.E.L.D. could have missed a continuing Chitauri presence on Earth. More importantly, how could Locke have seen this when no one else had?

Loki could see recognition dawn on Anthony's bearded face. "Don't," asked the genius quietly, his enthusiastic behaviour of earlier long gone.

The engineer knew that any word spoken now could ruin any chances of nights spent together in passionate touches. The charade would be shattered and peace long gone. Brown eyes held sorrow for the choice Loki had to make, secretly hoping he would choose to be selfish, for both their sakes.

But Loki spoke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading as always  
> feel free to leave some soulfood (review) to fill my brain.
> 
> chapter beta'd by swordmisstress and xeniabond


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> disclaimer: i do not own the avengers ( but oh i wish)
> 
> Ok it took me a while but here i am back again , hope i ain't to rusty :p

**Chapter 27**

Loki thanked what little luck the Norns allowed him for being confined in a room with possibly the only two Avengers who would listen to his tale before taking action. Of course, the Anthony he knew now was never going to bind him, for he knew the truth, but the Iron Man he had met was a listener and a talker as well. Dr Banner was more than the green monster stirring under his surface and the scientist's eyes gleamed with interest at the prospect of an explanation.

 

"I need your word that you will let me finish," Loki stated, watching the calm scientist.  The gamma expert nodded, giving the ex-god the go to tell what they needed to know right now. Tony, however, still looked as if the world was ending.  There was a strange mix of sorrow and acceptance on his face that disturbed Loki more than he anticipated.

 

"I will begin by explaining why the Chitauri dropped like flies after that bomb detonated. Their large ship served a purpose much like a beehive, giving off a constant, undetectable signal. Each Chitauri, as well as the machines they use, is telepathically linked to this mother ship.  It is both their greatest strength and their greatest weakness. Destroy that source and the force of the separated link will render anything Chitauri utterly useless." The ex-god mirrored Anthony's movement at the holographic display, making a small area light up between the blue layout.

 

Loki had studied the engineer while he had been using the technology, slowly but surely gaining enough knowledge to know how to use most of the basic movements. "This is where, according to the report, Item Number 47 was found." He manipulated holograms with childish skill compared to Anthony, but nonetheless, he could work them. A large circle appeared on the map, drawn by his hands. "Most of their attacks were focused on the densely populated city centre to subdue and gain control as swiftly as possible. They were only meant as a tool to use and install fright in human hearts."

 

"Until Loki held the Earth as its ruler," noted Bruce, focused on the story.  

 

Loki could see the truth of this knowledge slowly dawn on the scientist.  "Yes," he replied quietly.

 

"Then why did they not leave? After all, Loki's so-called intent to rule ended quite badly for the guy." The scientist cleaned his glasses and put them back on his nose, as if he was testing the trickster's patience. "Sorry for interrupting.  Carry on."

 

Loki shifted his gaze to the engineer and their eyes met. He continued, his voice unusually soft-spoken and tinged with an odd emotion that might have resembled regret had he thought about it. "Had this been a regular invasion by the Chitauri, they would have landed in the crowded city centre and swept it clean. After that, they would have buried themselves in preparation for the takeover." His gaze had not wavered from Anthony's and it was apparent the engineer knew that only a fraction of a second remained before Banner uttered Loki's true name, recognising Stark's "assistant" for his true nature.

 

"So they created a new hive elsewhere, in the underground of the city?"  Dr. Banner frowned at the thought of such a unexpected threat underneath his feet, adding to his already agitated state. "Why do you know so much abo..." 

 

Loki could see the moment on Banner's face when all the facts settled into place, when one and one became two, a spark firing in the intelligent man's eyes. The doctor looked directly at him with surprise, fright, and that deep flare of anger boiling under the surface of his skin.

 

"Loki," he whispered, a tremor of unnamed emotions echoing in the name. Bruce spun wildly to face his friend and fellow compatriot-in-science.  "Loki! Tony, what the hell are you thinking, bringing him to stay under the same roof as the rest of us? Last time he was anywhere near my vicinity, I nearly killed Natasha!"  The anxiety and budding anger was rippling around him as he struggled to control his reactions.

 

Tony hadn't moved a muscle as Loki had revealed himself slowly, word after word bringing disaster closer.  He felt odd, moving now, as he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder to steady the man.  "Nearly being the correct word here, big guy," he said quietly.

 

"Oh God, Tony, how could you? With  _him_?" The expression on Bruce's face was wounded as the truth of everything slowly became clear.  It was evident the man felt hurt, even betrayed, in this moment of discovery.

 

"I'm all up for second chances, Bruce; you of all people should know this," Tony said, facing his friend squarely and trying, by sheer strength of will, to make him understand. He grinned, a bit crookedly, trying to get away from all these feelings that made him uncomfortable. "Now, I'll admit that Mr. Prissy Pants here used to be no less than bat-shit crazy, but now he's just plain vanilla crazy."

 

Loki had been watching the doctor very closely; he knew that, for the sake of his human constitution, a Hulk-out should be avoided if at all possible.  His now frail body would not survive a "playful" smash or being thrown around like a rag doll.  Cautiously, as although he did not relish human life, he rather preferred it to the current alternative, Loki spoke.  "So far, my words have been truthful. I have simply withheld certain unnecessary details."  He stayed perfectly still, not wanting to trigger the green beast's natural instinct to chase prey.

 

Bruce huffed.  "Unnecessary details?   _That's_  what you call your deceiving nature?" The gamma expert was slowly growing more nervous, moving his hands and fingers without a place to put them.

 

Loki fought back a sigh, pinning Banner with his gaze.  "Would you tell people who hate that monster within that you are that very being? Would you give them the excuse to act blindly based on earlier facts? Or would you try to survive?" A complete silence followed his questions, one not even Anthony dared to break. Yet the only response from the man in question was a series of deep breaths as he shook his head in denial.

 

"Bruce." Anthony's hand rested on the other genius's shoulder and Loki fought an unwelcome spark of jealousy. "I know it's obvious that I am nothing short of rich, handsome, and on the brink of insanity, but I trust him."  He gave Bruce's shoulder a hesitant squeeze and laid his hand over the arc reactor. Rubbing the device through his shirt, he let out a slow, deep breath, his voice quiet. "With my life."

 

"I can't believe that even you are this reckless, Tony." Bruce, whose prickly nerves had calmed down a fraction, shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose, willing himself calm. A part of him still refused to believe his friend was having relations with an enemy, or former enemy, assuming he could believe the words of that deceiver, which he really didn't. Yet he knew how the kind-hearted Tony really was, no matter how flashy his outside appearance was.  Not once had Tony thought of him as an uninhibited monstrosity, even when the eccentric man was fully aware of what Bruce could become. To him, Bruce Banner was just a fellow scientist, a man on the same level, a good and trusted friend. 

 

Tony's voice was soft and Bruce knew it was serious.  "Don't make me say please, Bruce.  You know asking nicely isn't my thing, but I'll resort to extreme measures if I have to."  Bruce knew how his friend always deflected anything to do with emotions, the short brown-haired genius would always beat around the bush.  But Bruce had become an expert in hearing what his friend never said and here all he heard was a meaningful and heart-felt plea:  _Please give Loki his second chance._  


 

Bruce looked at the tall god before him, taking in the absolute stillness and watchful eyes.  The man he had come to know as "Locke," a fitting name if he thought about it, had revealed his true nature, knowing it was dangerous.  Bruce knew full well how easily the Other Guy had dealt with Loki once, but the man before him had treated him decently enough, especially given their history.  So far, this weird Locke-Loki person had been pleasant enough around him, if a bit cautiously distant.  He looked at Tony's hopeful yet wary expression and sighed, kicking himself mentally.  

 

"I don't understand where you are going with this, Tony." Bruce pointed between his friend and the man formerly known as Loki of Asgard. "But I'll try and give him a chance." For a small, geeky scientist, he looked menacing, his dark eyes directed toward the magic-less Loki. "One chance. If you blow it, if you as much as lay a hand on Tony or anybody else..."

 

"Well, he's had his hands on me, that's for sure," interrupted the grinning engineer, who seemed wildly amused at his words.

 

Bruce noted the glare Loki gave the amused man.  It seemed both he and the ex-god deemed Tony's behaviour as inappropriate considering the situation. "I have made my point," he said, watching as Loki's posture relaxed just slightly. Oddly enough, Bruce saw understanding in Loki's eyes, as if the tall blond had accepted the terms and conditions.

 

Tony squeezed Bruce's shoulder lightly before moving back to the hologram.  "Now, where can we find those left-over sons of bitches?" Tony clapped his hands together to break the last shard of tension in the air.

 

"There is nothing left of them," Loki growled. "I was betrayed from the start, without realising it, much to my shame." It angered Loki, for a deal made was a deal held. Yes, he could and would twist and turn the truth and formed words to suit his ultimate purpose, but to blatantly disregard the pact made and devise a second plan, one nobody would notice until it was already too late, was despicable. Well, unless he was the one doing so and had exceptional reasoning, of course. He pulled up the underground map. "My guess is that they are in one of these locations in New York's underground. I can't decipher the exact location given the time they had to advance.  For all I know, the hive's centre has already been moved, but according to my calculations, those creatures should roam in these areas. And…Anthony, where are you going?"

 

"Out of here. Jarvis, ready the suit." A British accent from within the building's walls answered with a yes and the engineer made haste towards the exit.

 

Loki moved to block him.  "Stark, you are useless out there in the tunnels; one wrong use of your weaponry and half of New York could collapse and crumble on top of you." Loki faced the engineer who was still dead set on leaving. "Stark."  Loki's tone was one that often implied dangerous repercussions if the wrong move was made.

 

Bruce tilted his head, taking in the scene with interest.  "I hate to say it, but he's right, Tony."  Not that the eccentric genius would ever listen, not this time or ever. He knew Tony was one to go his own way if he thought it was the right way.  Even if it could kill him, Stark would gladly make the sacrifice.  He'd never admit it, of course, but Tony didn't believe there was a scenario out there that he couldn't beat.  It was one of many reasons Bruce worried after his friend.

 

Tony reached up to pull Loki into a kiss, spinning him around and grinning at the wide-eyed stare he received.  "Now, you boys be good and don't fight." Then he sped out of the glass door toward the balcony, where Jarvis was ready to dress him in his golden-red armour with inhuman precision.

 

"Cap, I'm coming your way."

 

* * *

 

Five minutes was all it took Dr. Banner and Loki to reorganise the Avengers and draw their attention under the surface of New York. The finer details of how and why they came to this conclusion were left out of the equation, but even in the silence over the com, Natasha's unspoken questions were still heard. And one could bet that if Clint was anywhere near her, he'd know she had underlying suspicions.

 

"It's not going to last," said Bruce, not looking at the ex-god. This truce, this white flag between them would be torn apart by the whirlwind of curious and suspicious minds tugging on it.

 

"I know," replied the blond ex-god, his tone carefully neutral and unaffected.  He shifted the map to mark and trace the team's current whereabouts.

 

"Then why stay?" asked the scientist, with nothing but honest curiosity regarding Loki's answer.

 

  
_For him_.

 

The answer wasn't voiced but Dr. Banner could read it in the way those blue eyes studiously avoided his. This wasn't about fulfilling this promise to Bob and it wasn't about the safety of those homeless people that took care of a sick and injured "Locke." No, this was all about Tony; somehow the engineer had managed to crawl under Loki's skin and befriend him. Bruce studied the man out of the corner of his eye, curious.  At what point had the two of them become attracted to each other?  How was it even possible for such unlikely people to have some form of relationship?  

 

Granted, Tony had been paying more attention to the work Pepper gave him, if only because Locke?  Loki?   _This really shouldn't be so complicated_. Bruce could see some of it now -- the god from the invasion  -- but it was hidden well.  Apparently well enough Thor hadn't said anything.  Or maybe Thor knew?  Bruce fought back a groan and reached for his tea.  It was possible, but unlikely, that Thor didn't know exactly who Locke was and he hadn't warned them at all.  He had let his questionably sane baby brother infilitrate the Avengers in a way they had never anticipated.

 

Bruce frowned at his now empty mug of tea.  It had been Loki who kept pushing Tony to complete paperwork and sometimes, Tony even signed the given documents on time.  Bruce had noticed Tony looking well-rested these past few days and had even caught him grinning for no apparent reason.  Maybe this was who Loki was before his personal hell had caught up with him, why Thor always fought so desperately for him.  Tony was even eating regularly, especially  _if Loki cooked_.  This normal, yet oddly intimate, little act told Bruce everything he needed to know.

 

"Pepper was right. You actually care for him."  Bruce was honestly surprised - the god who had tried to run rampant over humanity, banished and turned mostly human, actually caring for someone.  Well, that would make things difficult.  If Bruce knew Tony, and he did, then things were going to get extremely complicated when the rest of the Avengers discovered who exactly was in their midst.  Tony would never let Loki go, even if it meant putting on the suit against the rest of them.  Tony wouldn't hesitate to go against S.H.I.E.L.D., but Bruce knew he cared for the team.  And judging by the uncomfortable way Loki looked under his scrutiny, Loki would do the same for Tony.

 

Loki huffed and shifted uneasily, tension noticeable in the lines of his back and shoulders.  "This human infatuation I am having is purely physical."

 

Bruce caught the vaguely nervous or worried tone in Loki's voice. The man seemed to be on edge waiting like this, watching events unfold without his interference.  Bruce rolled his eyes.  "You don't even expect me to believe that lie," he replied. "It's obvious that you're worried about him."

 

A small click betrayed an open comm line; a bright red light flashing icon identified the speaker as the Black Widow. "I've checked the first marked location with Hawkeye.  It's clean."

 

By now, all of the Avengers had covered a small portion of a larger area that Bruce had marked as Section One, giving each of them a part to search. Using this search method, help would never be far if a sudden sticky situation occurred.  So far, they had been questionably lucky and nothing had been discovered. The territory was dark, narrow, and unfamiliar.  Even if it was still New York, the city underneath its high towers and cement surface was an entirely different world.

 

"Good work, guys. Banner, where to next?" Bruce's mouth twitched in a suppressed smile at the morale boost.  The team's captain couldn't help but give positive reinforcement for negative results.

 

He had configured a central point in his layout, a place possibly free of alien invaders and a decent starting point for future searches. Bruce tapped the holographic grid, zooming in on the area.  "From where you are, second tunnel to the right and down the hatch. It might be locked, but it shouldn't be a problem for you to open it. Behind it should be an old maintenance room, connecting several drainage systems."

 

"Got it."  Captain America's strong footsteps were heard over the comm as he made his way through the damp tunnel, the man's keen sense of memory instantly recognising the turns he had to make. A loud screech ended by a hollow crack signalled the opening of the thick metal hatch. "This is a darn good spot Banner.  Relay its position to the others."

 

Bruce watched as Loki silently centered the holographic map on Rogers, but had smaller screens devoted to the movements of Barton, Romanov, and Thor.  Stark was still off-grid.  "Hawkeye, we are sending you a new location for you and Widow, are you getting it?"  

 

"Give us ten minutes, we'll be there," the archer replied.  Ever-observant, he noted Chitauri presence. "They have been at our current location.  I'm guessing they were just passing through, but the tunnel has been used in the past few days."  The comm chatter was silent, save a bit of rustling on Barton's end.  "Nothing here now though."

 

Thor spoke next, his booming voice over the speakers causing both Loki and Bruce to wince.  "I found no traces in this Midgardian underground.  I shall head to the captain."

 

Good, that left only Tony's answer. Bruce watched as Loki maneuvered another screen, searching for Tony's marker.  "Iron Man, what is your position?"

 

"In the city's underbelly and God, it stinks. I can smell it through the armour."

 

"You're not answering my question, Tony." Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose. If only his friend could provide a reply without added comments.

 

"I am currently taking the scenic route of New York and I see crap.  Literally."

 

Back in the tower, Loki was growing restless with the provided answers. Quickly, before the scientist could react, he grabbed the earpiece and hissed, "Where are you, Stark?!"

 

"Don't you fear, my pretty princess; I'll protect you from those nasty aliens."

 

"Locke, this line is Avengers only." The Captain was polite, but stern.  "Please return the earpiece to Dr. Banner." 

 

"Jarvis, give me Anthony's exact position," demanded Loki, ignoring the captain's order. He didn't say it, but he feared that the engineer was going his own merry way. Naturally, this meant that he was very likely being reckless, wandering off on his own, and taking uncharted routes.  How like Anthony to go exploring in dangerous places without the availability of a back-up nearby.  Loki practically crushed the ear piece in his hand.

 

"I am not permitted to give out Iron Man's current whereabouts, sir."  A yellow marker blipped into existence near Romanov and Barton and Bruce sighed gratefully, silently thanking Jarvis for the information.

 

Loki swore that he heard Jarvis underline the word permitted, making it crystal clear for the ex-god that Anthony himself had ordered the AI's reluctance for a particular reason. It left him with only one option. "Jarvis, override.  Code cellist." Anthony's bright yellow marker, flashing near Natasha's red and Clint's purple markers, faded from the map. It was nothing but a decoy, left there for appearance's sake.

 

Stark cursed.  "You are not supposed to know that."

 

"You are not supposed to wander off on your own," snapped Loki.

 

Bruce frowned at the tension in the room and migraine starting behind his eyes.  Thankfully, he had lots of practice dealing Tony-induced migraines, but Barton helped lighten the mood.  "Oh God, Cap was right; you guys do act like a married couple."

 

Banner couldn't help but smile at the barely repressed sigh of frustration coming from Rogers over the comm.  "Hawkeye, stop it. Iron Man, what is your location and why did you let us follow a fake trail?" Apparently, the good captain had deemed it useless to tell Loki to give the earpiece back to Bruce after finding out over the comm that Tony had them tracing a decoy.

 

"I wouldn't call it fake, just misplaced a bi..."  Tony was interrupted as a loud rumble claimed the line, followed by a recognisable inhuman noise.  All of them were familiar with that chittering and Bruce took a deep breath to calm the beast inside him that wanted desperately to smash the source of that sound.

 

"Fuck!" Loki gripped the table as he listened to Anthony maneuver in battle.  The noises made by the Chitauri sent a chill deep through his core; it sounded like they found a suitable prey to hunt and strip of its skin.  "I found them, or they found me; it depends on your viewpoint, I guess."  More worrisome to Loki was the fact that Anthony's real location finally showed itself on the three-dimensional map, right on the other side of the city. He had already sent the location to the others, but even if they hurried, the tunnel maze would slow them down immensely.  They wouldn't be there in time to assist in the battle.

 

Over the line Loki could hear Anthony's voice, strained with exertion.  "These guys are different.  Sending you an image now."  The sounds of battle carried on as Loki looked at the picture.  "Stark," Loki's breath caught.  "Get out of there.  Now."

 

"Aww, but I'm having so much fun with my new pals."

 

Bruce noted that even Jarvis' normally unpertubed voice seemed tight.  "Sir, I insist you follow your assistant's advice. The level of damage you are getting is taking a toll."

 

"Anthony, listen to me.  They are not the same Chitauri you faced.  Those were an army existed of mere foot soldiers, the lowest of the lowest they had available."  Loki stared across the table, mentally formulating and disgarding plans rapidly as he watched awareness and understanding battle with rising alarm on Banner's face.  Loki was playing a dangerous game now, but Anthony was woefully unprepared for this fight.  "What you are facing now is far, far more dangerous.  These are Chitauri seasoned in battle and..." 

 

The ex-god had so much more to say, but the sounds of struggle ended and a frightful static noise filled the comm line.  "Anthony! ANTHONY!"  He all but ripped off the earpiece and tossed it in the Banner's general direction.  He growled as worry, anger, and dread washed over him, the thought of loss clawing its way into his heart.  He felt more human than ever. 

 

"You're going in." The dark-haired man stated, brown eyes dark with the hint of fear.

 

"Yes."  Loki was so filled with the flow of emotions surging in his body that he didn't notice the look of sympathy on the other man's face. "Don't you dare to stop me, Banner, you or that beast within you."  

 

Loki didn't hear what Banner whispered as he rushed out the door.

 

"Good luck, Loki."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading and having the patience to wait a full month while i moved, really thank you readers !
> 
> Feel free to leave some soulfood ( yumyum reviews)
> 
> And to all a happy new-years, may you find happiness, goodluck and creative ideas.
> 
> thanks to swordmisstress who beta'd


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> disclaimer: i do not own marvel(darn)

**Chapter 28**

 

It could have been the dull, throbbing headache of a massive hangover. He'd had enough of those in his lifetime.  However,  Tony was absolutely sure that it had been near minutes ago that half his faceplate was crushed, a dent pressing into his head at an uncomfortable angle. A hangover would be welcome compared to this.  His head rang as he felt himself being knocked around inside his suit as he was pulled along the tunnels.

 

"Jarvis...buddy..."  His voice was hoarse, throat raw and bruised.  A sharp tug silenced him as air painfully left his lungs. He had a witty remark ready in his head, but nothing more than an incoherent mumble left his mouth as the pain hit.

 

_Don't panic._

The HUD was dark.  Jarvis was silent.

 

_You are Tony Fucking Stark._

 

The outside world was unreachable.

 

_This is not Afghanistan._

 

Tony fought down the panic building inside him.  He was trapped in a metal suit, Jarvis was unavailable, and the pain in his right side was unimaginable.  He could feel a slow, trickling trail of blood run down his hip and the raw, deep burn of pain. 

 

  
_Okay.  Think, Tony_.  The Chitauri dragged him down deeper in the tunnels, where it was darker and harder to escape. His once gleaming armour was scraping along the gritty floor like an old rag doll, the red and gold shine now battle-worn and replaced with dirt.

 

As far as Tony knew, none of these creatures had ever captured a human intentionally.  During the invasion, people were either killed or herded like mindless sheep. Not that the Chitauri whose claws were around his arm appeared to care for the engineer's wellbeing, far from it. It just pulled Tony along to wherever it was they were heading. 

 

In retrospect, perhaps he should have paid more heed to Loki's distressed warning. Yeah.  He could do that in the future.

 

* * *

 

Tony could have sworn he hadn't passed out, but when he opened his eyes, he realized he was no longer moving, or rather, being moved, and he couldn't hear the chitinous sounds of the Chitauri. Feeling around in the dark, he explored his immediate area until he felt safe enough, for the moment, to prop himself against a moist stone wall.  Water was slowly dripping along its slippery surface; at least, he severely hoped it was water. 

 

Not nearly fast enough for the engineer's liking, his eyes started to adjust to the dark surroundings. This had the questionable advantage of letting him discover new gradients of black, all the way from a midnight colour to the shade under the bed had when the notorious boogie-man resided under it.  Somewhere along the hard wall, something shuffled and Tony froze.  He could hear the rustling of clothing as, he hoped, a person shifted a limb.

 

"Shhhhh, I think he's coming to."   _I'll call him Sewer Man #1.   Or, wait!  Leonardo!  No, Leo was more of the leader, maybe Raphael?_  


 

"Should we give him something to drink?"   _Okay, this is Donatello._  


 

"Don't be a moron, it's not like we have water to spare. Dimwit."   _Dude, Raphael is a bit of a dick.  The water would be nice, thankyouverymuch.  See if I donate to any more turtle conservation centres._  


 

"Bob would have shared, even if was nothing more than a sip."  _I like Donatello.  I'll buy pizza for the centres.  None for you, Raph._  


 

"Well I ain't Bob, you dolt, and I ain't sharing anything, Jack."   _Raphael ain't Bob or Jack and doesn't like to share.  It's like one of those logic puzzles.  Now which one has the purple hat and the fluffy rat?  Put a checkmark down for Donatello being Jack._  


 

With an attentive ear, but the brain fuzziness that accompanies hangover migraines, something with which Tony was intimately familiar, he listened to the discussion.  Mental commentary aside, and a craving for pizza, he'd recognized the spoken names. Bob, of course, who was or, at least, should be, still in the hospital. And Jack, presumably "Daniels."  Or Donatello.  No sign of Shredder's minions.

 

"Do you guys mind? I'm trying to get some beauty sleep here." He may have been dragged around by an overgrown cockroach, suffering an impending migraine of monstrous proportions, and signs of exhaustion that would cause that look _from Pepper, but there was little in the world that could silence his mouth._  


 

The grumpier of the other two men answered first. "See? Good going.  You woke him up, you retard."   _No one asked your opinion, Raph._  


 

"At least now we know he's alive and kicking," replied Donatello, the man Tony believed to be Jack Daniels.  At least one of them had a positive outlook on this messy situation.  When they got out of here, he'd buy him a case of Jack to go with the pizza.

 

A disapproving snort resounded along the stone walls. "And where will that get him? Hmmm? It hardly changes our crap-ass fate, now, does it?"

 

The engineer huffed.  "You know, I really dislike being ignored here."

 

"Yeah, well, ain't it nice to meet ya?" The bad-tempered one sneered. "Who are you, anyway? I dun recognise your voice from anywhere. You ain't a local.  We ain't got time for outsiders.  We got our own worries."

 

"I'm Iron Man."

 

"Good for you, lad.  I'm Batman," replied Raphael, affecting the gravel growl of the caped crusader.  "I bet you're here to save us all, eh?  God, they must have hit you harder than I thought…"  He trailed off, but not before Tony heard him mumble, "Not that it matters."

 

Tony definitely found it disturbing that there were only two other men here. According to both Bob and Loki, there should have been more.  There was the possibility that were being kept elsewhere, but an eerie feeling distinctly told him otherwise. "So, where are the others?"

 

"Gone." Donatello's whisper echoed in Stark's ears.  He sounded so young.  No one should have to discover the monsters are real.

 

"How'd ya know there were others?"  Raphael sounded suspicious.  Great.  Even Pepper and Loki together couldn't spin the press on another Iron Man versus homeless into something positive, no matter that they were in Chitauri-filled sewers.  

 

"Already told you -- I am Iron Man." Not getting recognised because of this damned darkness was really starting to piss him off.  Come on, even drifters and beggars should know Tony Stark, Iron Man, right?

 

_Wait a minute, it's dark in here. Why is it dark in here?_

 

Tony mentally face-palmed himself.  "I'm an idiot."  

 

"Yeah, no arguing that, boy," Raphael cracked.

 

Tony ignored the comment, already moving his hands along the remains of his armour.  He detected removed parts and blemishes across the surface, left-over parts were either dented or… 

 

No wonder his "light" was out, leaving him in this distressful darkness. His muscles straining painfully, he managed to dislodge a jammed plate, effectively opening the inner works of his chest armour. A soft blue light started to illuminate their surroundings, granting him a look at the two tired faces of his fellow abductees. 

 

"Holy shit! You really are Iron Man."  

 

That would be Raphael.  Tony saw the bad-tempered man now, younger than expected, but still with grey streaks in his locks and a receding hairline.  Both he and Jack had dark shadows under their eyes.  They looked lean and twitchy, just like the rats in the maze that they were.  So much for turtles.  Maybe he'll start calling Raphael Willard, instead.  

 

Tony sighed. "Told you so." His arc reactor allowed him to check out the wound on his side.  That definitely didn't look good in any way, but nothing much he could do about it now.  "What do you mean the others are gone?"  

 

Raph-Willard and Don looked at each other and Tony saw the wide eyes, clenched jaws, and paled skin beneath the dirt, the blue light of the reactor casting the two men in shades of corpse-like terror.  It was pretty clear that Grumpy's attitude was covering up some serious emotional damage, not helped by their current situation.  It was a wonder that Don still seemed to be looking on the bright side of things.

 

Raph looked away into the darkness of the tunnels.  "Those creatures took them, dragged them away.  Left us in the dark, able to do nothing but hear their cries."

 

"Dinner," added Don, voice quiet and absent-minded.  Tony could almost hear his positive attitude slide out of the window.  His face was so drained of colour, Tony was sure the man would pass out.

 

The other drifter nodded and let out a deep sigh. "That's how it is, Mr. Stark."

 

"Tony."  The engineer paired his signature shit-eating grin with the look of grim determination that got him through Afghanistan.  It felt dark and brutal, but it gave the appearance of confidence that they would either triumph or do some damage along the way.  He'd been in worse, after all, each time crawling out from under the rubble to stand victorious. He could be the support for these two men.

 

He needed to act fast. His wound was still bleeding and even if nothing vital appeared to be struck, time was limited. As it was, his head had developed a deep, lingering throb, and his chest ached whenever he breathed too deeply.  Time was definitely limited.

 

Donatello, err, Jack, and Grumpy Raphael-Willard looked at him expectantly. "Help me get this off, guys.  We have work to do."

 

* * *

 

The other Avengers headed in Iron Man's direction through the narrow maze of underground tunnels. Bruce guided them every step of the way from his seat in the tower, the holographic model showing him the exact position of each team member except Loki. He had given the man a marker, a dark green one, and it was glowing ahead of the others. Contact with the ex-god was out of the question since Loki hadn't taken an earpiece, but the scientist could estimate where he was or should be. According to his calculations, the trickster should be around 10 to 15 minutes ahead of the rest, given, of course, that Loki had a way of remembering the route.

 

Bruce didn't care who got there first so long as Tony was alive and, more or less, healthy. The scientist was a bit at odds with himself, however.  He wanted a happy ending out of this situation, both for his friend and the crazy god.  He just wasn't sure how far he was willing to go to help make it happen.

 

Right now, it looked like he got to listen to Steve berate him for not hulking out and restraining Locke from going after Tony.  Tony owed him big for this; Steve was pretty good with a guilt trip.  "Look, Bruce, I know Locke is a mutant, but his powers are unstable.  He said so himself. I know that he and Tony are in an…umm…relationship but...um."

 

For a while now, the good captain had been trying to convince Bruce how bad an idea it was to let Tony's assistant go was. Kind of pointless, really.  Bruce knew from the moment Loki ran out of the door that it was bound to end in tragedy.  He sighed.  "Steve, I couldn't stop him from going.  Not even if I wanted to, which I didn't. There is no stopping a man with a will to save someone.  I'm sure you know that feeling, Captain."

 

"It just doesn't make sense anymore, Bruce."  And  _there_  was the not-so-subtle rebuke, the unspoken request to fill in the gaps.  He chose to ignore it.

 

After an excruciatingly long silence, Natasha spoke. "Banner, you are withholding information. Locke is more then he seems."  Bruce winced.  Of all of them, he knew Romanov would be the biggest threat to Loki and Tony's secret.

 

"Bruce?  I'm asking you as a friend, not as Captain America." Gone was the soldier's command.  In its place, the plea of a friend to help another friend.  "Please tell us anything that can aid us."

 

Damn his conscience and damn the fact that he got involved with people. He loathed conflict; it just never turned out well for him or those around him.  He rubbed his temple and sighed deeply. Yes...I mean no, I..."  

 

He never should have stayed in New York. Leaving was wiser, hiding was smarter, but his friends had asked him to stay.  Friends.  Real friends were something that were rare in his life.  "Yes, Natasha is right, but trust me on this.  He means well.  And even if it sounds like I am crazy, it is my opinion that he genuinely cares for Tony.  Please.  Whatever happens, doesn't forget that." 

 

The scientist held no illusions those blond locks and blue eyes would not hide Loki for long, not now.  Natasha was ready to flay him, expose every secret.  An Asgardian make-over did no good when the ex-god had similar traits as the crazed villain they had fought.

 

"You are not telling us what he is capable of doing, but you believe he can help," Steve commented.  "I can go with that.  Right now, any helping hand is welcome as long as he doesn't get himself or anyone else killed."

 

"I can't," Natasha attested. "I don't trust him."

 

Naturally, Clint had to rally on Romanov's side.  Bruce hadn't really expected anything else.  "Neither do I.  He has to be a rotten egg, Nat's instinct are rarely wrong."

 

"I am never wrong, Barton."

 

"Well, I do remember this one time in Budapest when you..."

 

"Clint, I am…never wrong." After the Widow's last words, silence fell over the comm line.  The last thing Bruce heard were hurried footsteps and his own voice giving directions.

 

While Bruce knew that the soldier part of Steve's mind would accept his words on faith, for now, and focus solely on the mission, he also knew Natasha's would not.  It would keep working, dissolving truth from fiction.  She would take apart the stories she had heard about Tony's assistant and put the facts together. The Widow may never have seen the man before, but a part inside her knew him, a part that was (rarely) never wrong.  Bruce knew she would trust her instincts.  Time was running out and Bruce feared for his friend at the middle of a shitstorm of epic proportions.  

 

Loki had better hurry.  The Chitauri were not the only things after him.

 

* * *

 

Tony had managed, with the help of Donatello, who insisted on being called Jack, and good ol' Grumpy Raphael (whose name he hadn't asked), to remove the remaining obstructing armour plates. He had even managed to rewire the connection to his right glove, enabling the repulsor. It wasn't much, but in the eyes of two desperate men, it meant the world.  It was a literal shot in the dark, but Tony Stark wouldn't go down without a fight.  "Look for any usable metal parts.  The larger, the better."

 

"What do we do with 'em?" asked Jack.

 

"I don't know.  Carry them around like a shield or something.  It will at least protect you a bit if they decide to attack." Yeah.  Not so much.

 

It was times like this that Tony really missed Jarvis.  He was trying to inspect his injury and it didn't look pretty. It was torn and raw, but at least most of the bleeding had stopped.  He needed that dry, witty British accent to tell him that the simple truth of things.  He felt woozy and light-headed and was pretty sure any strenuous action would result in him passing out.  He knew his body was screaming at him to rest, to cease and desist any and all activity. 

 

He knew he didn't have that luxury right now.  He had to carry on for the men beside him. Who knew when those bastard Chitauri would return?  He would be damned before they got him or one of the other two.  Not this lifetime.  Not over his dead body.

 

"Mr. Stark?"

 

"Tony," the engineer commented absent-mindedly.

 

"Tony, is anybody else coming? They have to be right?" asked Jack, a slight quiver to his words.

 

Tony winced at the hint of childlike hope in Jack's voice.  "They better be coming or I'll kick them out of my tower," he growled.

 

"So nobody might be coming," noted Grumpy Raphael, his earlier attitude in full swing. "They might just leave us all to rot down here.  Heh.  It's kind of funny if you think about it."

 

Tony raised his eyebrow in question. "Please.  Do tell me what is so funny," he dramatically swayed his arm in an overview of the area in which they were trapped. "About our lovely situation."

 

"You, us, it doesn't matter anymore. We're all stuck in the same deep shit and in the end, we're all the same."  Grumpy Raphael smirked and tapped the piece of metal he was to use as a shield.  "Poor bastards, each one of us."

 

"Oh come on, Grumpy. Cut the depressing nonsense..."  

 

It could be a trick of the mind, but Tony swore that somewhere in the distance, he heard a sliding noise against the walls.  He hushed the other two men before they managed to ruin the silence and covered the blue glow of his arc reactor. There was no point in giving anything hostile more of an advantage.

 

The unknown was approaching.  The sound was different from anything Chitauri.  It was almost familiar, but he couldn't place its advance. It wasn't Steve's ever-steady tread, and, well he wouldn't hear Natasha. 

 

Tony wasn't exactly warm down in these depths, and the trickle of fearful anticipation down his spine probably wasn't helping, but he could swear it was getting colder. The engineer was sure that the small group was breathing out small puffs of condensation in this newfound chill. Oddly, he found this strange frosty sensation calming, but the hairs on his back rose when a thud resounded in the area.  What was left of his brain was clamoring that something dangerous and eerie stood near them, something akin to a predator. If the cold wasn't freezing him, his hind brain was certainly trying.

 

Tony felt his heart skip a few rather necessary beats as he felt an immensely cold but familiar touch on his cheek.  A welcome rush of warmth pooled in his chest.  "Lo..." 

 

A frozen finger touched his lips urging his silence.  "Fool."  A cold and hardened voice sounded from the dark as strange, reflective, red and otherworldly eyes focused on the genius. 

 

Loki felt content that whatever feeling of relief and concern he portrayed on his face was hidden well beneath the cover of darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for having the patience to stick to my story.  
> Not to mention all the favourites, follows and friendly ( or constructive criticism) comments.
> 
> Update's will come every ten days or so since I have a new work schedule and job. It suck i know but real life comes before fic :p
> 
> Big thanks to swordmisstress who beta's this chapter!!!!!


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok This chapter has also been revised,re-betad and edited by Swordmistress. I ended up adding so much that it got even longer and emotional.  
> Again thank you guys for reading, feel free to leave a review to let me know what you thought of this chapter.

disclaimer: i do not own marvel

Prepare to have feels

**Chapter 29**

It was uninhibited rage and bursts of anger that released the Hulk, turning Bruce Banner into a green behemoth, but it was calm calculated fury that brought out the monster in Loki. The only difference seemed to be the control he maintained. No matter how much spite and rage swirled within the trickster, he was not blinded. In fact, he saw things with crystal clarity. It wasn't his angered state that brought forth the cerulean image of his real self that Loki so despised. It was a desperate feeling within him, one that cared for another's well-being and safety. For even if his boiling temper calmed, his skin would remain frigid and blue.

The only benefit Loki saw in this effect was that he could yet again wield power, though it was admittedly a different kind of magic then before. He did not turn into a mindless beast whose primary concern was to tear up the world around him to tiny bits and pieces. Neither was he weak and human, a fact he greatly appreciated, even if meant dealing with his Jotun side. He would gladly embrace it for the moment. His utmost concern was to get Anthony to safety, even if it meant reverting to his natural form. If these powers could do so, he would ponder the implications of his birthright at a later time.

Loki entered the tunnels slowly, hesitant about his new-found skills but eager to test his icy talents. One thing he discovered was the reason why the ice giants dressed as simply as they did. Clothing was an unwanted obstruction, freezing around him and hindering his otherwise fluid movements. He sacrificed his clothing, tearing his trousers until they were short enough to his liking, the elegant dress shirt discarded along the way.

He moved swiftly, but with silence, the skills learned through the ages and his nimble body helping him. Each step taken it was as if he was rediscovering magic, learning new things with every heartbeat: the small stream of mucky water he traversed would slowly freeze if he stopped moving and the moisture on the walls would ice at a touch if he willed it. As he moved further into the tunnels, Loki focused on advancing and further developing the finer weavings of his inherent magic. Though he was uncomfortable with their origin, they were certainly to be used to his advantage at present.

As his core temperature cooled, the area around him grew colder. If he so willed it, a drop of water could be turned into an ice crystal with ease, a speck of unique perfection in the palm of his hand. He traced the slippery wet surface of the putrid stream beneath him and with Jotun talent, bent the water to his will. The result of this endeavour was a small dagger, sharp as glass, a useful thing in skilled hands. With a nimble twist, Loki twirled the weapon between his fingers, an ability honed by years of experience. His eyes gleamed with a predator's edge - his hands were exceptionally skilled.

Though he wanted to hate his inherent Jotun abilities, Loki found them useful now that he had no magic at his disposal. His large, red pupils captured the barest sliver of light in the darkness. Any reflection was highlighted and thus he could make out a variety of details in the shapes around him. He knew that the cold of his body would shield him from a Chitauri's vision in the darkness of the tunnels, something he failed to recollect during his moment of distress in the tower.

Anthony would remind him that it was human to forget, that he should not let it bother him. As a god, Loki never simply  _forgot_  to mention anything, he only hid facts under a blanket of carefully placed words. His hands clutched the dagger tightly. He should have known better. This sting in his heart was of his own making. Had he not been so distressed that his mind failed him, perhaps Anthony's fall into the sharp claws of the Chitauri could have been avoided. A Chitauri's senses worked differently from that of humans, their eyes did not see colours and the dark was no deterrent. They relied on body heat to distinguish friend from foe, particularly in the dark of this underground lair. It had been a grave error in judgment.

_These slips of the mind should not be my point of focus!_

Scowling, Loki berated himself for dwelling in the past and events he could not change. He stilled his movements as the detritus littering the tunnels changed subtly. Here and there, scattered around and evident for those who knew the signs to seek, was the evidence that several Chitauri had crawled along these walls. There was not enough debris for the hive's centre to be near this location, but Loki knew they could still pose a significant problem if met in direct confrontation.

Loki's style of fighting was swift, elegant, using the elongated strikes of a spear to keep enemies at bay or the vicious precision of dagger. His ability to wield magic and his accuracy with thrown weapons helped keep his opponents from moving closer. He disliked close combat, but was capable of it nonethless. He would twist and turn in easy evasion, ducking under blows and finding soft spots to exploit. This confining space would leave him with little option for his preferred fighting style, however. His lips curled in a feral grin, pearly white canines showing. No enemies would hinder him from retrieving what was rightfully his.

Thankfully, his sense of smell still seemed to be the same in his Jotun form as his more human form. The putrid stench lingering in the damp underground roads would put a damper on anyone's olfactory organs. Loki's hearing though appeared to be improved. He had always had the ability to pick out the finer details of hidden conversations. A skill that proved to be exceptionally useful to him now as Loki heard hushed human whispers coming from not too far away.

It was a hushed husky tone he would never forget even if he tried.  _Anthony_. The engineer was speaking in a calm, but warning manner. Loki's greatest fear - finding only bloody parts of the man in the tunnels - was lifted; instant relief washed over him. He felt a tightness leave his chest and the pressing weight on his heart faded, only to be replaced by adrenaline and determination instead of dread. Loki knew the hardest part was yet to come, especially if there were others with Anthony.

He carried on, watchful and wary. The further he went, the more he noticed damage to the environment. This must have been the spot where Stark's transmission was lost. A torn piece of red metal on the ground confirmed his assumptions, but it was the red streak on the floor that made him fall back in dread. Anthony had been wounded and dragged off roughly. Loki followed the trail silently, nothing more than a shadow or trick of the mind to the naked eye.

At a crossing, Loki stopped in his tracks, curiously indecisive. Initially, he wanted to continue forward as a trail of scratch marks headed straight ahead, further into the deep. Yet every instinct he had told the trickster to turn left onto a smaller inconspicuous road, one he had nearly had missed. Loki firmly believed that one should always follow base instinct when it decided to nudge actions in a particular direction. He could just barely discern a deep sigh in the darkness ahead of him. Moving closer, he could vaguely see the blurry outlining of three human bodies.

Loki knelt down on his knees next to Anthony, who was still feigning sleep or unconsciousness badly, for he heard Anthony's rapid breathing all too clearly. The eccentric genius shivered slightly, likely due to Loki's proximity in Jotun form, and his breath frosted the air. With an eyebrow raised in curiosity, Anthony opened tired eyes and stared straight at him through the darkness. A strange emotion flowed over Loki that moment, something pure and precious, as the engineer still managed to smile brightly at him even when wounded.

"Lo..."

"Fool," Loki said softly, his fingertips caressing Anthony's cheek. It genuinely surprised him to hear the kindness in his voice. Carefully, he removed the plate covering the arc reactor and blue light lit the small, damp enclosure. Loki's monstrous appearance made the two homeless men gasp, but Anthony made a small motion with his hand to indicate everything was okay.

"Silence, all of you," Loki whispered, voice stern. He was sure even the formidable Pepper Potts would have reconsidered talking back to the man with a tone like that in his voice. Still, it was a surprise they listened, especially Anthony. Under normal circumstances, the genius would have objected and responded with sass. It was worrying that he remained so quiet, even under such circumstances. Loki refused to admit that he was frightened by this, but had he been able, he would have conjured a spell to inspect him for physical damage, applying healing magic if needed. Without that magic, he could only rely on his wits and Frost Giant abilities. Loki hoped the Norns would favor him this once and grant him the time he needed.

Loki held their attention as he continued speaking in a barely audible whisper. "Firstly, I will unbind you all. Secondly, you will all hold still and refrain from running or creating unnecessary noises. It will only get you killed. Thirdly, I cannot get you out of here simultaneously; only one by one can I help you reach safer perimeters." He paused, glancing at the men who had once given him shelter and the man who did the same now. "Not far from here, there is a ladder going up one level. I calculated that the other Avengers will come through that pass. I will help you reach it and they will take you to safety from there."

"Get them out first," Tony insisted, trying to hide the grimace of pain behind stoicism.

Loki went still as he fought his frustration. Anthony's words reflected distress and he spoke as if breathing was difficult and painful. Resolve burned deeply in those warm brown eyes, however, letting Loki know that disagreement would result in a loud argument, an argument and a volume they could not afford. Loki knew this was what caring for others did, it made a person weak. Anthony had already proven he would sacrifice himself it meant the safety of others. He was reluctant to leave the injured man, knowing the possibilities.

The genius saw the hestitation in Loki's crimson eyes and said, "It'll be fine. I'll manage until the rest get here."

Loki gave a short nod of agreement. He struggled against the burn of worry slowly enveloping him with what could happen when he left the engineer. But now was not the time to fret. He needed to move the men as quickly and silently as their feet could carry them. Loki studied the bindings of the group: a small sturdy metal chain was set around each of their feet and no opening or lock could be seen. If there had been, Loki supposed that Anthony's would already have been removed. Not knowing if it would work, but confident in his new found skills, the trickster set out to release the three men from their bounds.

"Stay still," he warned. By sheer force of will, Loki concentrated the cold in his hand, hoping to reach a temperature cold enough to burn. Jack "Daniels," a friend of Bob's, hissed in surprise at the freezing temperature so close to his body. Thankfully, the man stayed still or his ankle would have blackened with frostbite. Under Loki's touch, the metal started to crumble slowly, tiny cracks forming until there was a hole big enough to remove it. Though his heritage was proving to be quite useful in this situation, the feel of this cold living magic within him was still unwanted. However, Loki once again held magic within his grasp. That was what mattered now.

The other two shackles fell more easily, his control and aim improved with each focused exertion. As quietly as the exhausted and obviously-undernourished man could manage, Jack stood. His legs were weak but steady as he held himself upright for the first time in days. "Stay close," Loki whispered. He had calculated that the aura of cold that surrounded him would lower human body temperature if in close proximity. It would throw off or disrupt the Chitauri's vision if they came face to face with them, but it would likely cause hypothermia as well. It was a chance they would have to risk.

Jack followed Loki meekly, the cold aura hampering his already emaciated form. He never made a sound and stayed no further away from Loki than a few footsteps. When they were around the corner, Loki chilled the air surrounding his "acquaintance" further, frost grabbing Jack's clothing as the edges slowly froze. It was too cold for a human to bear for long, but all Loki needed was the chill cloak of safety covering both of them for a little longer. The homeless man would have to endure the temperature. Hypothermia was a far better fate than falling prey to the cruel claws of the Chitauri.

Loki had to admit that even in this cold, dark underground, faced with despair and a hopeless end, humans appeared to keep their faith. Even now, Jack followed him without complaint. This person had chosen to simply to trust him and in doing so, placed all hope for a future in Loki's hands. He did so without question. This sense of believing the impossible possible, of trusting his life so willingly, reminded him strongly of Thor.  _He would smile proudly if he saw this, his little "brother" aiding humans._  Loki frowned as they continued along the path toward freedom. Worse yet, Loki was doing this act of kindness of his own volition. Thor would have been pleased and gloating over how he knew Loki had a good heart, a kind heart. It was too reminiscent of times long, long ago, times he could not recapture, when the lie was all he had known. It left an uncomfortable feeling curling inside him.

Before long, they reached an open valve with a simple metal ladder leading upward. "Go up and wait," Loki said in a calm voice, his sentence barely more than a gust of wind coming from his mouth. Jack gave a nod in compliance and stepped up the long ladder. Loki turned, set on swiftly heading back to get the man dubbed "Grumpy" by Anthony, when Jack spoke to him.

"Thanks, Locke."

Loki's eyes widened in disbelief and he took a sharp breath. Not for a moment had Loki guessed that in this horrid form he could be recognized as the human Locke. Let alone that he would ever get a simple thanks from a stranger for his actions. None had ever sincerely expressed gratitude toward him in the past. Emotion overwelmed him and he suddenly felt angry.  _Grateful! I feel grateful toward this human!_  Unwilling to face the emotional turmoil raging within, Loki turned on his heels and left without a word.

The journey back was uneventful. Loki guided the next homeless man to safety. Like Jack, the other homeless man followed him, albeit, less willingly then Jack. This older man was more on edge, jumpy, so their pace was much slower. Loki's patience was sorely tested, but his nerves were also beginning to fray given the circumstances. He swore he could feel something stirring to life in the deep, below them. It was still too far away to form a direct threat, but it was close enough to unsettle him.

In the end, it was a successful arrival for the man, whose real name was Herbert. Loki remembered it vaguely from before. Jack smiled kindly at them and extended a hand, helping the other human up toward relative safety. Loki anticipated it would only be a matter of minutes before the other Avengers would arrive to guide these people back to the surface. All he needed to do now was get Anthony out of this maze as quickly as possible.

A bone-chilling screech in the distance froze Loki in his tracks, his heart racing with the rush of impending battle, a combination of anticipation and fear. Snarling to himself, he snapped out of his momentary paralysis.  _How foolish I was to think that anything would go well for once in my life!_  Loki blamed his human side for these hopeless, ignorant feelings.

Now that his cover was at least partially blown, he could go on the aggressive and hopefully, surprise the Chitauri before they reached Anthony. He headed back into the dark tunnels, risking his life, or what was left of it now, to retrieve brown-haired engineer and take him to safety. The last sliver of faith he held crumbled down with agonizing fear as he heard a familiar blast in the distance.

His pace turned into a full-fledged sprint when panic overtook him. "Anthony!" His shout bounced off the walls, an echo carried into the distance. Loki's agility carried him through the winding tunnels like an arctic wind. The only thought he had consisted of the genius whose repulsor blast he had heard.

 

* * *

 

_Well, there went my first and only shot. At least I took one of them down with me._

Tony's defective repulsor was only partially restored and he knew it wouldn't fire again for a while, not until he could crawl back into his workshop and fix it. At least the one Chitauri entering their little holding area was nothing but a dead sack of meat on the ground. Its already ugly mug was now a bloody pulp of goo and Tony couldn't decide if it was an improvement or not.

With years of practice, the eccentric genius willed away the pain of the flesh-wound in his back. The throbbing of his head was no worse than a regular, good old hangover. He'd had worse. With the support of the wall closest to him, managed to right himself. The blue light of the arc reactor was his only illumination and it couldn't pierce all the shadows, but it helped him get moving. The Chitauri's noise would have alerted any others nearby, so he couldn't afford to stay put and wait like a good little boy. It wasn't his style anyway.

He had heard Loki calling out to him, the worry echoing clearly. Tony's heart would be lost in the emotions of that call if he let himself. Tony wondered, as he slowly got his bearings, if the trickster knew how distressed he sounded. Even if it was the last thing he did, he had to reach the owner of that voice. Too many things were left unspoken between them, only acted out in passionate kisses and heated strokes, words spoken on each other bodies. Tony would not let Loki get taken away from him, not by Loki himself, the other Avengers, or fucking aliens.

_Fuck, I really fell in love with that bastard._

Judging from the sound of Loki's voice, he could not have been far. Around a curved corner, he crashed head-first into the cold, exotic body of a slightly frantic Frost Giant. If he could have seen, Tony would've noticed that Loki's eyes held honest warmth, affection, and relief at seeing his bearded face alive.

"Stark!" Loki shivered at the sudden heat of Anthony's skin against his own. The genius burned like a furnace against him, a sharp contrast to his colder temperature. Instinctively, Loki wrapped his arms around the other man, keeping them from falling.

"What? No welcome kiss? Because I deserve one and you know it, Highness." Tony panted from exertion and tried to grin at the face above him, but all he did was let out a hiss of paid at the effort. "Don't look at me like that. I'm fine," he slurred. "I've just slain a dragon and everything and I did it all for you."

"Anthony, stop joking and let me help you." Or as Tony heard it,  _Shut up and let me drag you to the nearest exit._

Hesitantly, Loki wrapped an arm around him, giving him better support then the wall ever could. As the cold emanating from that gorgeous blue skin enveloped him, Tony found it strangely comforting. It even lightened the dull pain in his head, which was enough for now. Medical care could come later, if it was needed at all. Jarvis could scan his body for cracked ribs better than any doctor. On the far side of the tunnel arose voices, still faint, but clear and obviously heading their way. At their backs, Tony could hear the eerie clicking wail of several Chitauri following their trail. No doubt, the scaled warriors were agitated by their escaped prisoners and on the hunt.

Loki pushed Anthony against a wall, shielding him as a chitinous shriek and the click of a weapon being readied for use sounded too close for comfort. Loki looked back and saw the first of the Chitauri lope toward them, ready to strike when both of them were in reach. The rest would no doubt follow its lead and come rushing into battle any second now. Without thinking of his actions, Loki pushed Anthony further into the wall and ignoring his muffled exclamation, held him there as he watched the Chitauri advance. They would not cause his engineer further harm.

The sound of firm, steady footsteps confirmed the good Captain's arrival. Assuming a battle stance, Rogers shouted, "Tony! Locke! Duck now!"

Hailing the given command instantly, Loki pulled Anthony down, falling first to shield the engineer from the hard ground and rolling immediately to shield him. Above their faces, only a breath away, Captain America's shield cut through the air. As it bounced off the wall at incredible speed toward its target, it left a faint silver-coloured trail in the air. The Chitauri had no chance at surviving the hit even if it had been a well-seasoned warrior. Never had Loki been so glad of Captain America's presence.

With a fluid zigzag motion, the starred shield made its way back to Captain America. "Locke, is Tony all right?" asked Rogers as he ran the short distance toward them, ready to aid in any way possible.

"I'm not dead yet, Cap," Tony said, pushing Loki unceremoniously off him and standing awkwardly in a feigned battle-ready stance. "Don't you know by now I'm nearly impossible to kill?" He ignored the blood still dripping from his scalp and back and pasted a cocky grin on his face. Tony knew the grin was faltering, that he wouldn't be able to keep the posturing for long, but there was no chance in hell that he would leave Loki alone. Not when there was every chance that he would be discovered, not when he could be taken away from him.  _I won't allow it. Not from anyone._

Loki and Rogers exchanged looks, worry evident at the wet rasp of Tony's voice. They both noticed the trouble it cost Anthony to push himself up from the ground. Neither of them spoke a word, however, for it would most likely end in an unending discussion with the stubborn genius. Before Loki had a chance to help Anthony get back on his feet, the job was taken from him by Captain America. Rogers simply lifted the engineer from the ground before the eccentric man could form a protest.

"A piggy-back ride? Seriously, Spangles? What am I, five years old?" Tony huffed, annoyed with the childish treatment.  _Jesus Christ, it's just a bit of blood! I've been in worse situations._  The weight taken off his left side did ease the ache, he had to admit, but being mostly upside-down in a fireman's hold was making him a bit woozy. He couldn't afford to pass out though, not with everything he wanted riding on the line.  _If I'm not there when the others find out..._  He fought back a strangled sound as his throat closed tightly.

Loki smirked at the look of exasperation Rogers sent his way. The Captain adjusted Tony on his shoulder with a sigh. "Tony, you can't walk and we have to go. Now." There was no time to be wasted. Steve moved quickly, keeping a steady pace while he carried a stubborn, and constantly complaining, Tony. Steve always demanded radio silence during dangerous excursions or battle scenarios barring updates and orders. Tony, however, never managed to hold his tongue for more than a few moments. Even now, his raspy voice was issuing a non-stop stream of words. It was hard for him to believe sometimes that Tony was capable of being part of a team. Much as he loved his friend, Steven knew that Tony was not a team-player.

"I was walking just fine before," Tony huffed, slightly muffled by Roger's back as they moved with speed down the tunnels. "So what the hell do you think you are you doing?"

Rogers sighed. "Locke was obviously supporting you, Tony." The soldier turned briefly to face Tony's assistant, never pausing his steps. "Thank you for your help and saving those two men. Even if you did disobey a direct order and entered combat as a civilian, you did well and I appreciate everything you did, as I'm sure those men do."

Loki knew the patriotic soldier meant it, too, but when they discovered the inevitable, things would not go so well. Loki was all too familiar with confrontation ending in pain, ridicule, and incarceration. He shrugged off the Captain's comments, instead inquiring after the men. "Where are they?" Loki asked. It was highly uncharacteristic of him, but he felt compelled to ask.

Anthony looked at him strangely while they continued to the ladder. Loki pointedly ignored the engineer's look and the light fluttering in his stomach that was hoping the genius would be all right. The fury of the emotions battling inside him was too much; he felt tightly-wound and ready to explode. As soon as he could relax, he hoped they would fade and he could resume his normal composure.  _That is, if I am not discovered, which is looking less and less likely._  He brushed an errant hair from his face. There was no point in dwelling on the inevitable; he would merely have to face it when it occurred.

"Thor flew or took them out, it was the fastest way." Rogers raised a brow at Locke. "I'm guessing that their cooled temperatures had something to do with you?"

Loki nodded. "It was a necessity, a precaution not to get caught. Anthony would not budge from his spot before they both reached safety." Loki could practically feel the engineer roll his eyes at those words.

"As if you'd break your promise to Bob and…" Tony broke off as the scurry of footsteps or claw marks, whatever the hell that infernal scraping sound was called, headed toward them. They were about to be welcomed with the imminent arrival of some Chitauri warriors. Tony smacked Rogers' ass in a hurry-up giddy-up motion, saying, "I'm not made of porcelain, Cap. For crying out loud, run! Run, you asshole, run!"

Loki glanced over his shoulder as he ran with the Captain. Behind them and closing fast were enraged Chitauri, already opening fire. Thankfully, no one had closed the hatch leading into the larger area above them. Rogers made Anthony go first, even though the man protested loudly. Loki did not voice it, but he was thankful for Rogers' insistence. The genius could be a formidable opponent in his suit, but with it mostly inoperable, he was naught but a "simple" man. The good Captain looked at him expectantly. Loki shook his head. "No, I will slow them down. Get Anthony out first."

It was still a frightening thing, caring for another. The things he was doing to ensure another's safety was nothing short of idiotic. Loki should not be concerned about Anthony. He should be worried about his own hide and the way these humans would strip him of it once they found out who he truly was. Loki laughed bitterly at the course his life had taken and steeled himself for battle.

Once the Captain's red boots were out of sight, Loki reached inside himself to draw on the cold core of his power. He reached out his left hand to touch the humid wall while the right gestured a sharp ice dagger into existence. He would give Anthony all the time he needed.

 

* * *

 

 

Once up the ladder, Steve looked down, worried about the inexperienced Locke. What he saw, however, was far from a clumsy mutant unfamiliar with and afraid of power. Tony's assistant's movements were those of a man who had learned combat moves. His stance was steady and sure and Steve knew he should remember it from somewhere.

"Locke! Get up here now!" He shouted, hoping that the man would listen to the command and see the clear advantage presented. From his vantage point, Steve saw Locke throw back his hair, blond locks following the nimble movement as he evaded a well-aimed shot. The good soldier even felt the chill in the air rise as Locke climbed to their level.

A loud boom crackling in the damp air informed Loki of Thor's arrival. "Thor, get Tony to the hospital." He no longer cared about his identity being discovered. It was barely hanging on by a thread and he knew well it would be unraveled by the Russian redhead with ease. Loki was caught in the middle of a maelstrom of unwelcome emotions, particularly in the middle of battle. The only thought of consequence now was for Anthony's safety, which was racing through his heart and mind. Thor, take him out now!

"No," stated Tony in immediate defiance, "I am not leaving him with you."

It did not escape Steve's attention that his friend was more worried about Locke than himself. This seemed far more than the familiar worry for a loved one's safety. Tony seemed confident that Locke was capable of standing on his own in battle and from what Steve had seen, he would agree. Yet this was something more. He had all the puzzle pieces. He simply needed to arrange them in the correct order.

"I have neither the time nor the inclination to argue Tony," Loki replied, scowling at the engineer. "Thor!" he shouted, "Take him out of here!"  _Stubborn fool!_  Anthony was infuriating him right now by refusing to leave. He had almost called Thor "brother" in his fit of anger.

"No, damn it!" Tony growled, pushing ineffectually at Thor as the god reached out to him. Tony damn near snarled at Thor as he tried in vain to escape the god's clutches. He resorted to giving the man a punch, which left him nursing another bruise. "Get your hands off me, Thunder Boy."

Thor was clearly confused by their conflicting words, standing there waiting until one of them made up their minds. Already, Thor perceived something he had not seen in a long while - Loki, willing to risk his life to aid another. Each time Stark lashed out and refused to leave, the temperature around them dropped, Loki's ire fueling a growing spread of frost and ice around them. Thor wanted to smile over the passion his brother was displaying toward the man, but as the words continued flying, he became worried. He would not be able to help Loki if S.H.I.E.L.D. discovered his true identity. He still held the Man of Iron, though he had tried to break free. Clearly, the mortal had underestimated his injuries and required medical attention, but still, the verbal sparring continued.

Steve watched as Locke caught up with them after having encased the hatch in frost. He was still scowling at Tony, but refusing to be drawn into further debate. Locke's strange inhuman eyes shone like those of a predator and he gripped a single shard of ice in his hand. The tall man had a feral look and Steve didn't doubt for a second that the item clutched in that hand would be deadly. From under the frozen hatch, he could hear an inhuman howl that sounded like a signal or command given to the rest of those hideous creatures. A gun was fired, but, for now, the ice held.

Natasha and Clint streamed in from one of the tunnels, bow and gun ready to strike fast and accurately. Natasha didn't even stop moving as she said, "Tony, don't make this harder than it needs to be." Tony either ignored her or was deeply engrossed in his lover's quarrel that her words went unnoticed. Seeing them argue, she knew there was something far more serious than being worried for the other's safety. There was a panic about Tony that Natasha had only seen when Pepper had been threatened. Why he was worried about leaving his assistant/lover with them had her curious. They were hiding something, but nothing stayed hidden from her for long.

A large blast stopped the group in their tracks. The ice holding the hatch cracked, sending it and stone rubble flying across the room. The gap left in the stone flooring by the explosion was wide enough to fit several men, Steve noted as he moved his shield in front of him. Or, in this case, a small but apparently experienced group of angry Chitauri. He heard Locke mutter something that sounded like a foul curse in a language he didn't understand.

A well-aimed arrow knocked out the first Chitauri to rise from the dust. Behind it, another reacted to the projectiles, speeding toward Hawkeye and forcing the archer to engage in close combat. Natasha was already fighting fiercely, her fiery red hair a violent blur as she moved constantly on the battlefield. Steve readied his stance, feet firmly on the ground and body in perfect balance. He shifted his arm into a right angle and curved to throw the shield forward at incredible velocity. When he turned to strike, however, Steve stopped dead in his tracks.

Amidst the stone gravel and settling dust, Tony's assistant had found a long pipe. The metal bar was frozen over with ragged edges and a sharp, almost transparent blade at the end. It was a weapon meant to kill and pierce while maintaining distance. Steve could not afford to question or hesitate now, not with battle engaged, but the battle stance Locke had assumed was all too familiar.

"Loki," he breathed. He stared at the man with whom he had spoken art and literature, had shared meals, not to mention who had so readily found a place in Tony's heart. He had liked the stoic assistant! To think that that man was the same person as the violent and mad Loki was mindboggling, but he couldn't dwell for too long on the fact. Steve readied himself for the incoming battle, raising his shield in a defensive manner.

Even with the sounds of fighting obscuring his voice, the remaining Avengers reacted to the name. Clint did so with something that sounded like a snarl, an ominous look on his face foreboding a need for vengeance. Hawkeye still held a grudge for having his free will taken from him. The Black Widow almost raised an eyebrow in disapproval, but her focus remained on the Chitauri who was facing her swift strikes.

Loki managed a cold red-eyed stare in Steve's direction before Anthony caught his eye. "Thor, get Anthony out. Now." The only positive of having his cover blown was that he could get Anthony to safety as this time, Thor would listen. The broad-shouldered Asgardian nodded in agreement and looked like he wanted to say something, but Loki cut him off with a glare. He had no interest in hearing Thor's meaningless words. Instead, he looked at Anthony and hoped the genius would understand. For once in his life, Loki had no words for the myriad emotions he felt.

Steve could not mistake that voice and tone for anything other than the trickster's voice now. Tony protested wildly and it struck Steve that his friend had known who Locke was all the time. Maybe not at first, but he was well aware of the identity his lover really had. Steve didn't know how long Tony had known, but obviously it had been long enough. He had to admit he felt hurt by the secrecy. He had shared almost everything with Tony: the feeling of facing the cold death of the sea, of knowing he gained a second chance at life while everyone he had known was dead or dying, the feeling of being a relic. It pained him to know that Tony hadn't trusted him enough to confide in him about this. Steve knew his initial reaction would've been anger and shock, but he would have listened before making a decision.

Tony struggled in Thor's grip, shouting, "Don't you dare lay a finger on him! Any of you!" Tony caught Loki's stare and it hurt. He couldn't even name of all of the emotions in that look, but he knew they ran deep. The trickster was already turning back to face the incoming Chitauri and Tony knew he had no time.  _Jesus Christ! My feelings have the worst fucking timing ever._  "You..." he tried to say, a loud cough interrupting him. It felt like it crushed his lungs and the simple act of breathing was making his eyes water. Still, he managed to find his breath, yelling, "This wasn't how it was supposed to happen, you idiot!"  _This is not how I will lose you!_

Fortunately, Steve noticed that this time, Thor listened to Locke's, no, Loki's command. Before Tony could voice his displeasure any further, the Asgardian swung his hammer and blasted off. This left the remaining three Avengers, seven Chitauri, and Loki stranded in the open underground space together. Make that six enemies - the strength of Steve's vibranium shield smacked into one, decimating it. "Chitauri first," he stated, and it was Captain America speaking, not Rogers.

Steve noticed that Clint was keeping his eyes on Loki ever since Locke's cover was blown, but he really needed his team's focus on the Chitauri right now. "Barton," he said, swinging his shield at another Chitauri. The creature was knocked back by sheer force. Any human would have been knocked out for at least an hour, but these guys were touch. The Chitauri was already crawling back to his feet to re-engage.

"Yeah, yeah. I got it, Cap." Moments like these made Clint really wish he had eyes on the back of his head. Loki was  _here_. Under their nose, posing as Stark's assistant!  _Unbe-fucking-lievable!_  Oh, he would make sure Loki did a whole lot of atoning; this was not even close to over. His normally relaxed hand gripped the bow more tightly than necessary.  _I will take it out of your frosty blue hide, motherfucker._  He sent a death-glare at the ex-deity in question while releasing another arrow at one of the Chitauri.  _For me, for Selvig, for all of us._

Steve watched out of the corner of his eye as Loki appeared to fight alongside them in this battle. The god's self-made spear pierced one of their foes in the armpit. With a twist and turn, Loki drew it out violently. A loud painful crack signalled broken bones under the organic armour and the Chitauri lunged forward out of spite and rage. Steve noticed that with a single calculated step, Loki evaded the lunge perfectly, but the movement took its toll. Loki looked exhausted, just like any human would. Steve was impressed that it didn't stop the man. Loki swung the spear swiftly and with deadly accuracy. The Chitauri that had been within his reach was disabled in one graceful movement. Not once did Loki turn his attentions to the Avengers. He focused solely on the Chitauri.

One down, five more to go.

Meanwhile, Natasha had fought and manoeuvred her way to Steve's side. She cast a barely sideways glance in his direction, asking, "Afterwards?" She kept her guns raised and firing. Her right gun ran out of ammunition, which meant until she refilled it, it was a small blunt weapon. She vaulted around one of the Chitauri and fired at a weak spot from behind it as she reloaded.

Steve turned and steadied his feet, effectively blocking an alien gunshot aimed at Natasha with his shield. "We bring him in," he said firmly, "but without harm." It was still hard for him to believe that the calm, collected, and sometimes humorous Locke was none other than Loki, the chaotic mad god who had sought to either destroy or subjugate humanity. He liked Locke and hadn't seen anything of Loki in the man. He could've helped Tony if only he'd talked to him. Steve didn't know what he could do now.

Steve somehow doubted that the Asgardian would turn on them now. Even though Loki clearly had power at his disposal, it didn't add up with what Steve had come to know of the man. For now, he hoped the man was the person in front of him, not the god. Hope was all he could do. He almost felt he could feel okay with this Locke-Loki person at his back. Tony was willing to fight for the man and Steve knew Tony didn't trust easily. If Tony wasn't under some sort of spell, and given that Steve himself had been in Locke's presence more than a few times and hadn't felt anything, Tony's trust said a lot.

Two rapid gunshots blasted from Natasha's weapons, bringing down the number of foes by one. The fourth dead Chitauri slid to the dusty floor. The Widow's face, Steve noted, carried a large bruise, though he knew that it wouldn't hinder the woman. If anything, it might even make her more alert and dangerous.

Steve raised his shield and blocked a clawed punch, the vibrations of metal on metal running through his body like a song. With practiced effort, he moved forward, throwing fast punches to confuse his opponent. When the creature thought it had found an opening, it reached out only to be met by the shield again. The Chitauri warrior had made a rookie mistake and bared its sides to an enemy. Steve focused a few devastating shots to its ribs, or whatever these creatures had, and made his foe stagger backward.

The Chitauri chittered in surprise as one of Loki's daggers apparently struck it from behind. As it reached backward to try and get a hold of the sharp ice, a well-struck uppercut from Steve put an end to its miserable life. His gaze strayed to Loki, who had helped. He met cold, red eyes that revealed nothing, as if the man was trying to deal with his aid being an "accidental" issue. Not for a second did Steve believe that cold exterior, not after all he'd seen. This was the same man with whom he'd become acquainted over these last weeks and Steve's instincts about people were rarely wrong when it came down to matters such as these. He would stand up for his friend and give Tony the opportunity to explain everything honestly. It would take more than a trickster's luck and Tony's and Steve's word to convince Fury, however.

The last two Chitauri, realising they were now outnumbered, tried to crawl back through the broken hatch, back into the dark and damp tunnels. A ringing gunshot solved one escape and the Chitauri fell down the black hole, a lifeless husk. The last standing alien hissed viciously in rage over its fallen comrades, a sound Steve hoped he would never hear again. The Chitauri had probably expected fewer enemies than this and definitely not ones who would fight back. Its black, beady eyes flitted back and forth between Steve, Natasha, and the blue vision of Loki.

Forgetting about Hawkeye was something the Chitauri learned the hard way - an arrow struck it right through the throat. It was never wise to dismiss Barton and his perfected aim. It proved to be the greatest mistake of its unlucky life. Just like that, the skirmish was over; the noise of battle reduced to an uncomfortable silence. Steve looked over his team, checking for injuries. With the exception of himself, they all had minor injuries. Thankfully, they were nothing more than bruises that would darken in time and small cuts and scratches on forearms or face. It was a price each of them gladly paid for a battle ending well. Given time, the wounds would heal, unlike emotional damage that festered and burned like a bad infection. He knew all too well the damage done to the mind never cleared as easily as physical wounds.

Steve shifted his attention to Clint whose rapid breaths foretold nothing good. The archer still held his bow, knuckles turning white from the tension and strength used in his grip. Steve had seen enough good men blinded by sudden rage on the battlefield - they turned crazy, like rabid dogs. Nothing pleasant or good ever came from such situation and people usually ended up imprisoned, injured, or dead. A quick glance toward the Black Widow and she was on her way.

"Clint, lower your weapon." Captain America had spoken clearly; it was an order to be followed without hesitation. Hawkeye's stare seemed to intensify as slowly scrutinized Loki's new form from head to toe. Steve could feel everything spiraling out of control. He wanted to resolve this conflict without injuries, to give Locke, no, Loki, a chance to talk. Clint was having none of it.

"You." The word was almost spat out by Hawkeye, who hadn't lowered his weapon at all, but retrained it on Loki. His sole focus was the man who had taken everything from him with a simple tap to the chest. He had been trapped in his own body, forced to watch as it complied with every order, no matter how much he had fought. What was worse is that it had only been a small part of him that fought; a larger part of him wanted desperately to please the man standing in front of him now. He could never forgive Loki for that utter loss of self-control...or that desire to please.

Steve had never expected to see Loki so battered. Even with the blue skin disguising any blemishes, the good soldier knew they were there simply from observing Loki's posture. The Asgardian, or self-proclaimed god, looked more human than Steve had ever seen him, even if he was obviously anything but.

A dark, haughty look crossed Loki's face. Loki knew provoking the already aggressive archer who so desperately wanted payback was foolish, but a part of him truly couldn't care less - every fiber of his being ached with fatigue, physical and emotional. "I believe the old endearment you used was either master or a polite sir," said Loki mockingly. He felt his lips curl in a taunting and malicious sneer. He wanted to just let it all stop. He was  _tired_. He was positive that Thor would have reached a hospital by now. Not even that dimwit could deny the urgency of Anthony's injuries. And Barton made such an easy target for his animosity.

Steve inwardly cursed at this reply.

"Not any more, you fucking bastard." Clint managed a soft painful laugh. "Look at you. You're pathetic," he sneered back, tilting his head at the dead Chitauri at his feet, never moving his bow from his target. "You're no better than the rest of these monsters."

For a split second only, Steve saw a very real, very human hurt in Loki's eyes. Then he saw the mask come down and turn back into that cold crimson stare. Things were getting messy and soon out of control if he couldn't handle the situation.

"How wrong you are, Barton," Loki growled, a malicious grin twisting his face. "I am a far greater monster."

Both Steve and Natasha saw that daring grin and the flash of anger on Clint's face in response. Neither could act fast enough to stop Clint's fingers from releasing the arrow nocked on his bow. Steve knew it was a special arrow created by Tony at Hawkeye's request, a cruel item meant to immediately disable the opponent instead of killing it. Once it had burrowed itself in the flesh, it would split open into several fishhook-like shapes. Steve grimaced as it struck Loki in his shoulder; Clint definitely wanted the trickster to feel pain.

Loki's scream of pain appeared to snap the Hawk out of his trance. Steve rushed in to help, or in this case, make sure Loki didn't try to pull out the arrow as an instinctive reflex. He snapped off the arrow's shaft; for now, it was all Steve could do. The wound bled an angry red and it would not surprise the soldier if bones were fractured under that cerulean skin.

"That was a low blow, Clint," noted Natasha coldly. "Unneeded." Clint shrugged at her and began to search for any arrows that could be reclaimed.

Steve was surprised at the temperature of Loki's skin; the cold wasn't trying to bite at his fingers. Slowly, the cold seeped out of Loki's body, the foreign marks and strange skin tone vanishing with it. Before long, the exotic, feral being Loki had appeared to be vanished into thin air, making way for a blond man in obvious pain. Blood streamed from the wound in his shoulder, cuts caused by walking barefoot in the sewer and underground tunnels covered his bare legs and feet. A soft purple shadow on his side betrayed a nasty bruise that would turn green, blue, and yellow within a day.

Captain America turned a bit pale while restraining Loki from reaching for the foreign object embedded in his shoulder. This was a man who had saved three lives, one of whom was Steve's best friend. Loki had rescued Tony before the Avengers could and only because he wanted the eccentric genius safe. "We need to get him help," Steve said, looking at Clint and Natasha with a look that would brook no argument.

Clint and Natasha nodded, the former somewhat reluctantly, but Clint had seen what the rest of them had: a regular,  _human_  man in pain. Loki was no longer the deity he once was and before any of them could ask why or how that had occurred, this strange, new Loki needed his injuries tended.

Steve settled on carrying him out. It wasn't like the ex-god could cause harm now, particularly in his current condition. The ex-god was barely holding onto consciousness. When the three Avengers walked out of the underground and breathed in the fresh cold night's air, they found S.H.I.E.L.D. waiting for them, ready to take Loki into custody.


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Big thanks to swordmisstress, she is an awesome beta
> 
> Big thanks to my readers,putting up with my stuff.
> 
> Feel free to leave a review, they feed my soul!

**Chapter 30**

Tony was at the hospital, the same one as when he had caused a car accident with his reckless behavior. It was the same one where Bob had been admitted earlier. At least Thor had managed to take him somewhere familiar.  _Back to the beginning...I am waiting for you, Vizzini_! Tony shook his head. Maybe his brain was a bit scrambled; then again, that would make him Westley and Loki would be Buttercup and he'd cast Fury as Humperdinck and if it didn't hurt so much to laugh, he'd be on the floor. As it was, he was wheezing in pain and delirious laughter.  _Ow._

Not that he had any plans on staying here obediently; certainly he had better things to do. Protecting Loki from him own stubbornness, for instance.

_Whoa, who would have thought I would utter such a sentence?_

First, however, he needed to escape the clutches of one God of Thunder and one hospital staff. The first doctor who rushed in with a stethoscope waving around his neck got the full brunt of his anger. "Thor! Put me down! And you!" Tony's wild brown eyes flashed toward the young doctor. "Don't you dare come closer! The last thing I need is a doctor prying at me." Well, technically he did need a doctor; his limp was clearly visible now that Thor had finally let his feet touch the floor. There wasn't any use in hiding the angry red wound; it had already caught the healer's attention.

"Surely you jest, Man of Iron. Even warriors such as we need to tend our wounds." Thor frowned. "There is no shame in wounds received in battle. It is a great honor!"

For fuck's sake, why did Thor have to talk in such a loud voice? Tony swore he could hear his head ringing and spontaneously split open from the booming noise Thor's vocal cords produced. Swaying slightly, he used the pristine white hospital wall to steady himself. He grabbed the metal bar with one hand while the other sought a cool, spotless surface. Leaning his forehead against the cool surface, he tried to take a breath and winced.

Who was he kidding? If it wasn't for some sort of support, he would probably end up in a undignified position on the floor. One that could not be blamed on large quantities of alcohol, a midnight encounter, or a "Pepper, you've seen me do worse" scenario. Somehow, in his mind, none of those things were as embarrassing as un-heroically falling on the floor, in a public hospital no less, just because his legs refused to take him elsewhere. He moved forward relentlessly, dead set on getting his way. Each step left a dull, mucky grey handprint on the clean walls behind him.

Even in his state, he managed to cast a rather impressive "do not fuck with me" glance to the young approaching physician, who staggered in his footsteps and brought his eyes down to the ground. Tony's supposed victory was short lived as a more experienced nurse came into view. And by experienced, the engineer meant a mean-looking elderly woman who wouldn't take shit from anybody, even Tony Stark. He had to admire her guts though, especially since she was bringing in a wheelchair.

"Don't you dare," Tony warned. He wasn't an invalid yet. No way in hell was that damned nurse getting him in that damned chair in front of the already gathering damned public.

"Friend Anthony," Thor rumbled, urging him to sit.

Tony frowned at Thor, confused. The big man sounded awfully quiet and worried compared to his normal self. Tony could feel a large hand holding him up, supporting him when his legs wanted to give way. The young doctor rushed in to help. Gone was his earlier hesitance caused by the bitter comments from the celebrity genius. He'd also been encouraged by the no-nonsense nurse. Thor somehow managed to clear the hallway of strangers and people standing by just hoping for a spectacle. Gods could be menacing, after all. Worried lines creased the doctor's face and Tony even saw a flash of panic before professional urgency took its place.

_Why was the floor so close?_

There was something in his arm, some sort of foreign object that really did not belong there. It itched and he didn't like it. If Tony could stretch just a bit more, he could scratch the burning itch or pull it out. Not that it mattered, his body wasn't reacting to anything he wanted it to do. The needle, once he figured out what it was, was in his wrist to stay.

Blurred movements around him told Tony he was on a stretcher, being moved to god only knows what room in the hospital. Panic filled him. It was a public hospital, after all, and these doctors where not his own. None of them knew what truly laid within his chest or what a single wrong movement could induce. A faint noise escaped him. He wanted it to be a warning, it was supposed to be a warning, but he knew it came out a soft, moaning sigh. Slowly, he started drifting off again. The last thing he heard was the familiar clacking of high heels on the floor.

"Pepper." Tony's last coherent thought was that he hoped he passed out charmingly and not like a drooling half-wit. After all, he had a reputation to uphold.

* * *

Everything smelled like stale disinfectant when he woke. This definitely meant he wasn't at home. Home did not smell so gruesomely bad; oil, sweat, and sex held a much richer and preferred aroma. The sheets around him were uncomfortable, wrinkled and kind of damp, which he can only assume was probably because of his sweat. He struggled to keep his eyes open for a moment, but the lids seemed so heavy and the light was blinding. Eventually though, he could start to see basic shapes in the environment. One of the shapes was distinctly human-shaped and talking impatiently to what appeared to be a doctor-shaped blob, given the whiteness of the torso.

"Um..."  _Great going there, smooth opening line, Tony._

"Tony!" A relieved, feminine voice that could belong to no other than one Ms. Pepper Potts called out to him. He couldn't deny it was comforting to hear her. However, his heart gave a painful lurch in longing for another voice.

Still blinking his eyes, he heard her sniffling slightly as she approached the bed. "Don't even think about trying to get up," he heard her whisper as she leaned in to adjust his pillow. Honestly, he wasn't even considering it as a possibility right now.

"I should have known it wasn't over, these visits to the hospital, constantly worried if you're going to make it or not." Her voice trembled slightly, but held mostly steady. Tony loved that strength about her, how she had always managed to keep her wits about her in high-stress times. He was never sure how she did it; he needed alcohol. He shook his head, missing something she said as his mind drifted. As she sat beside him, she continued. "Sometimes, I think you're meant to give me heart attacks, as a way to keep me on my toes."

He could hear both the smile and the worry and he hated making her worry again. That's why it hadn't worked for them. He couldn't handle the guilt. At least with Loki... He reached out blindly, grasping for her hand.

Gradually, his eyes adjusted to the blinding white light in the room. After blinking a few times, he took in his surroundings and Pepper. She had been crying and her eyes were red and swollen from spilled tears. She must have seen the surprise in his eyes because Pepper gave him one of those soft almost motherly smiles.

"It's rude to stare Tony," she admonished him, squeezing his hand gently. Pepper was a strong woman, one of the strongest he knew. She wouldn't break down into tears just because he broke a leg. Whatever it was that upset her this badly, it was serious business.

"How bad is it?" He rasped. He watched her fidget, her fingers running through her hair as she sighed. She handed him some ice chips to soothe his throat. The feel of the ice melting in his mouth and trickling down his throat reminded him of a familiar taste of winter and he winced. "Give me the unedited version."

"What is the last you remember?" she asked hesitantly, tucking an errant hair behind her ear.

?" she asked hesitantly, tucking an errant hair behind her ear . This was the first time Tony had been unconscious for several days, hanging onto life by a thread. Each time he was hurt, the hell Pepper put herself through got worse. They have have ended their romantic involvement, but her heart still ached every time the phone rang with bad news regarding Tony. It was the one thing she would never get used to hearing.

"Passing out on the hospital floor. Elegantly." Tony smiled.

"Due to severe blood loss!" Pepper scowled at him, voice high and loud with worry and annoyance. "You were almost _gone_ , Tony. When I saw you like that, again..." She pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to control her tears. "It..." her voice broke, "It hurts to see you like that. I called your personal doctor and Bruce before I arrived here. Dr. Banner brought one of your spare arc reactors, in case we needed to replace it."

Tony's breath caught and he immediately touched his chest, feeling the cold metal object through his shirt. The reactor still emitted a steady healthy glow. It was safe and functional, keeping him among the living. His doctor and Bruce both knew of his  _condition_ , but there were only a few people on this planet he trusted enough to come close to his "heart." The thought of anybody besides himself, Pepper, or Loki touching it was panic-inducing.  _Loki. I trust Loki enough to let him touch it._

Pepper saw the panic flit over his face at the thought of the reactor having to be replaced. "It was still in one piece and functional, Tony, thank God." She shook her head, her eyes tearing up and her voice rough as she continued. "I don't think you would have survived any more trauma."

She reached out to touch him, gently, as if he was fragile. "You had internal damage to your organs," she whispered, "a punctured lung, severe head trauma, a few cracked ribs, a dislocated shoulder, a mean cut on your abdomen, numerous cuts and bruises. To be fair, you looked like a torn rag doll. It took four hours just to stop the internal bleeding, but they did it." She paused, throat tight. "Again, you were brought back from the edge."

Tony let her speak, listening to every word. He had been through worse, well, maybe not physically but mentally. Torture usually meant being conscious. He still felt pain while breathing and he ached everywhere, but there was one thing he knew.  _I am one lucky son of a bitch. If Loki hadn't gotten there when he did..._

He looked at his hands, flexing the stiff fingers. The last time he had seen them, in the near-darkness of the tunnels, he had seen and felt the small cuts caused by torn metal. Now, his hands were clean and covered with healing scabs already fading scars. He frowned. This was not good. "How long was I out?" he asked, worriedly.  _And more importantly, what happened to Loki while I was out?_

"Approximately five days; they kept you asleep to let your body heal." She was positive that Tony got the underlying message:  _You WILL stay_. Still, she worried, knowing Tony well enough that when he wanted to do something rash, he would. Normally at the most inopportune moment, with the most fanfare and the most danger. If the worry Tony felt for Locke was anything close to how she normally felt for Tony, she really couldn't blame him. However, she'd do everything in her power to make sure he didn't hurt himself more than needed in the process.

"I need to go back to the tower." _I need to find out what happened to Loki._

Pepper sighed, shaking her head. She stood, straightening her skirt. "You can have that discussion with Bruce and the doctor. I think they'll let you though, under certain conditions."

Tony sighed and scowled at his ice chips. God, how he hated conditions. Conditions never meant anything good. In the end, he would either talk his way out or smile in agreement while walking out five minutes after agreeing. One important question remained unasked, however. Tony wondered how much Pepper already knew about Loki. He looked at her, the question still unspoken.  _Probably everything._

She smiled softly, running the back of her fingers down his cheek. "I don't know where he is Tony, but I have Jarvis working on it." She took his ice chips from him and placed them on the bedside stand, laughing briefly at his scowl. "Now, go back to sleep. You look awful."

Leave it to Pepper to read him like an open book.

She walked out the door, leaving him alone in the vacant white room. Well, it was vacant except for the giant bouquet of flowers. To match the giant bouquet was a giant card in shape of Iron Man.  _Probably Clint's idea_. It said "Get well soon, Man of Iron" in all caps and the entire team's signatures were on it. What hurt more than he expected was the missing name, the strict, elegantly written signature belonging to one Locke Ladislav, ex-god of Mischief and Chaos.

Unconsciously, his body had listened to Pepper's words. Before Tony had time to realize it, his body sank into the warm embrace of sleep, his dreams filled with thoughts of Loki.


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> important note!
> 
> Chapter 1 tm 26 have been fully re-edited.  
> Chapter 29 and 30 have also been re-edited, some changes were made, things were added. I highly recommend reading these two again.  
> Chapter 27 and 28 still need to be on the list now to be worked out before i post chapter 32.
> 
> But yeah! i'm back to business, thank you so much everybody for waiting. Really i could kiss you guys for being so patient.
> 
> disclaimer: i still do not own marvel

**Chapter 31**

Smooth stone walls and a cold cement floor awaited Loki when full awareness returned. Without opening his eyes, he took stock of his injuries before attempting to move. He would gather what information he could before revealing that he was conscious. He could feel bandages wrapped his chest and shoulder and countless small cuts and bruises marking his limbs. Walking on bare feet in the underground tunnels had apparently taken its toll and even his freezing cold skin could not protect him from gaining these blemishes. A tired, aching sigh escaped his cracked lips when he tried to shift his body in a more comfortable position. The familiar, throbbing pain caused a sense of déjà vu, harkening back to his first horrendous days as a human on Midgard.

Loki tried to recall the events after Anthony's rescue. Never before had his excellent memory failed him, yet all he could bring to mind were flashes of images and sounds. He remembered heated arguments between the three remaining Avengers, their voices loud and angry as men moved him away from the scene. There had been bright light blinding his sight and a stranger assessing the damage his body had taken. More than anything, Loki remembered misery and exhaustion.

At least he had ascertained that his injury was disinfected and bound in a correct manner. Gone was the stench of sewers and their waste - even his hair felt clean when his fingers ran through it. Slowly the trickster stood up, careful not to aggravate his trauma further as he surveyed what was yet another holding cell. Behind him stood a narrow camp bed covered with a grey wool blanket. The kind that caused your body to itch all over if it touched your bare skin. Nevertheless, Loki felt inclined to listen when his body practically demanded he return to the bed to rest. It was in with that motion that Loki discovered the only way out of his confinement. A bored sigh escaped him; surely they did not think this would stop him?

A transparent ceiling was suspended around eleven feet above him, forming the the most probable, and likely only, way in or out. This wasn't a jail it was a pit in the ground. He was confined like a wild animal. Well, at least there was solid ground under his feet instead of a wide expanse of pure air. Loki inspected the rest of his surroundings while trying to find a less unpleasant way to sit. The walls had no seams or rough edges that could be used as a hold to cross the short distance from floor to ceiling. The room was unusually hot as well, a precaution Loki assumed was to keep him from reverting to his other form.

There was a bucket of fresh water and a bowl of unhealthy grey-coloured substance likely passing as food. Even if the gruel looked distasteful, his stomach was craving sustenance, so Loki took the risk and tried a spoonful. It was as he imagined an abomination not worthy of being called edible, but it lessened his appetite by a fraction. He idly wondered if his colder nature would be successful against the heat, but he doubted that any such attempt could be made soon. His injured physique demanded rest. Sleep was calling to him like alluring siren's song.

His dreams were filled with images of Anthony, the engineer's hands stained with oil and rust as they caressed his sides while laying next to one another. When Loki awoke, alone in his cell, he realized how much he missed the enthusiastic man and the coffee brought to him as a peace offering. Loki almost admitted that he missed home, for that was what he had come to call the tower.

_I have a home._

He couldn't stop the sad smile from forming. This wretched planet was the cause of all his most dire losses and still, after he had lost everything, it had given him something in return. He supposed it wasn't entirely fair to view the whole of Midgard as insects. Certainly, there were exceptions, the low creatures who fed on others like leeches. A large part of the population, the mediocre, still blindly followed rules others imposed upon them, no matter how preposterous. After time spent as one of them, Loki could distinguish those people who transcended this barrier, individuals who rose to be great against all odds. Bob was the first he met and recognised, a man with kindness and faith running so deeply that he would accept others without question. He did so regardless of age or heritage, not because he was a naïve fool, it was simply in his character to do so.

Loki's first targetted attempted kill that was not in the midst of battle during the invasion on Midgard had also been such a man, standing up to him with a burning justice in his heart. A grandfather among the fear-filled masses rose to take a stand against him. It took courage and determination to defy a god; some might even call it madness. Loki might have done so himself, but now he called it humanity's strength. They never submitted, even when the situation seemed hopeless to all around them. Humanity's greatest feature was that it never surrendered in any situation.

_Neither will I._

The heat was neverending, causing him to sweat and thirst for water constantly. Loki's bandages absorbed his perspiration and soon he found them to clingy and unsanitary. Carefully, he peeled them off slowly, mindful not to tear the crust of his wound. His shoulder seemed to be healing well; there was no infection at all. Any movement, however, seemed strained and slow. He felt sure that during the remaining years of his life, it would bother him at inconvenient moments.

Loki sighed, frustration settling into his very core. How many days has it been since he was taken captive? There was no flow of darkness or light that could provide judgement on the current time. He could only rely on his instincts and they told him to escape and find refuge in a safer location. Mostly, they were telling him to find Anthony, his stubborn engineer. However, not before a few games were played with his captors. They would regret ever putting him in this atrocious housing.

* * *

Days like the first one passed, filled with boredom and utter silence. Not once had Loki noticed a guard or other signs of life. Yet one day, he found his bandages refreshed and clean. He detested the idea that he was unaware of strangers surrounding him, that a person could touch him unnoticed was both infuriating and terrifying. During his slumber, the ex-god was like every other mortal - vulnerable. He cursed himself as a fool! The continuing drowsiness and need for somnolence could very well be caused by drugs.

What route, he wondered. Water or food? Either one could be laced with some form of narcotic. For all he knew, it was in the heated, humid air. No, as effective as that would be, Loki knew the potential for the drugs to affect others would be too great. It had to be the water. It was an undeniable necessity; human kind could not survive without enough fluids. The sweltering heat not only prevented him from assuming his Jotun form, it made him long to quench his thirsty, dry throat. He knew he could only gain back his clarity if he stopped drinking. It was a torturous thing to deny his body of what it not only craved, but required. It was a matter of survival: either submit or overcome.

Loki chose the latter, more difficult, option.

It was long hours later that he started to remember more of what had happened in his surroundings: the sounds of shuffling feet while he lay half-awake, questions intoned by a strict voice that rose to annoyance as Loki refused to provide answers. Apparently, Director Fury had "visited" him before during his incarceration. Loki could vaguely recall the look of disdain projected on that one-eyed face. It was a memory that amused him nonetheless as, even drugged and human as he was, Loki's tongue could not be forced. It was one small shred of dignity left in an entirely undignified situation.

It was the loud slam of a closing door that brought him back to final clarity. The noises following told him various things about his confinement. From the slow trembling echo, his location would likely be an open hall, perhaps an abandoned factory or empty hangar used by S.H.I.E.L.D. The fact that he could not remember a long journey meant they must be in close proximity to New York. Approaching footsteps alarmed him and Loki cast away his covering to sit upright. If the fools thought they could keep him unaware for long, they would be surprised to find him ready to face all who dared question him under the assumption his guard was down.

There were two sets of footsteps approaching the edge of his cell, the second being barely detectable, lightfooted. These were likely feminine footsteps. Loki focused on their pace, his mind conjuring visions of his captors. The first had to be Director Fury, who had once sought him for what was a futile interrogation. Whoever followed his fast-paced tread was more wise, a silent predator, and one in a calmer state of mind.

Half a smile crept onto the trickster's face. If his guess was correct, he would gain a connection to the outside world and, handled correctly, he could plant the seeds of doubt, convey a message to eager, perceptive ears. Oh, how he could aggravate Fury now that he was aware once again. The sounds stopped near the edge of "his" pit and Loki raised piercing blue orbs, defiance burning deeply with renewed resolution, to look directly into Fury's eyes.

Fury spoke first. "Finally awake I see, Highness." A smug smile spread across Fury's face as he loomed over the cell.

The blatant use of his sobriquet in such an obviously mocking manner settled poorly under Loki's skin. The use of any name other than his own rarely sat well with him. It had been disconcerting assuming Locke's name as it was, why he let Stark get away with such an action was a conundrum. After a while, he found he had developed a certain fondness for it. Fury's sneer, however, made him clench his jaw in anger. He would not deign to let his appearance show how uncomfortable he truly was with this blatant and unwarranted familiarity.

Fury's voice practically echoed in the chamber. "You are a sly one, I'll hand you that. I almost thought we lost your trail." A silent Motherfucker, I got you now! hung in the air. His enemy did not voice it, yet his stance made it very clear. "And then you show up in the middle of my territory. You're making my job too easy, Odinson."

Loki would not have that victorious look stay on that one-eyed cretin for long. "Oh, well, my most sincere apologies." His voice dripped with sincerity and atonement, a pleasant undertone of venom notwithstanding. "Had I known the stench of those vile tunnels was yours, I would have gladly avoided them. Tell me, were you aware there was a large rodent infestation in your basement?" The trickster's words were pointed directly at Fury. Their meaning, however, was for the person standing outside his field of vision.

"Shut your trap, Odinson! The only questions I want answered are mine." Fury was on the verge of shouting as he strode around the boundary of Loki's cell.

This reaction was all Loki needed to know his thoughts were accurate. "Suddenly, I don't feel inclined to have a conversation anymore. It was rather one-sided." The seed of doubt had been placed by now; all that was needed was another push. S.H.I.E.L.D. was not as good at keeping secrets as they thought. It was a practise Loki had perfected aeons ago and unravelling the puzzle before him was no more than a child's game.

"Unless, of course," Loki continued, as if a thought had suddenly occurred to him, "you are here to convey your thanks. During my well-willed endeavours, I did manage to rid you of quite a number of pests." No longer did Loki look in Fury's direction - getting rid of the dirt under his fingernails seemed considerably more important. "If that is indeed the case, you could start by providing me proper bedding." The subjects of food and water to quench his hunger and thirst were not even mentioned.

Fury scoffed in disdain at his valid suggestion. "The only thing you're getting in here is a permanent sauna." He scowled and pointed his finger at Loki. "Don't mess with me. You aren't a god anymore. You're not even human, just some poor excuse of a monster."

Loki merely smiled, the harsh edge of mayhem turning his grin dark. "You will not hold me forever in this pit." Thirst was starting to affect him and he knew signs of dehydration would emerge shortly. It has been at least a day since he last relieved his desire for a drink. The heat was a constant reminder he needed water to survive. It was a cruelly effective trick to put sedatives in something so vitally essential.

The expression on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s director didn't change. "I don't respond well to threats, but you get that one for free. You can't out. Do you have any idea how weak and exhausted you look right now?" Fury turned his back on him, his voice ringing out as he walked away, "Have a drink. It might make you feel better."

Loki heard only a single set of footsteps retreating and, for a moment, thought he had imagined the second set. It wasn't until he picked up the sliding noise of a shoe sole that dragged a second too long on the ground that he knew his words had been heard and taken into account. A painful sigh of exhaustion escaped him when sat further back onto the cot. Silently, Loki thanked this rather unlikely ally as her near-silent footfalls followed Fury's.

His fingertips curled around a plastic cup half-filled with water, longing for its contents. To be so reliant on something small for survival could very well prove disastrous now, yet he drank the cup empty. He lay back, feeling the bitter taste of sedatives along his tongue. His future now lay in the hope that Natasha Romanoff heard the unshakable truth lingering in his words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes i know,i have been gone for to long.
> 
> Fortunately my deadline is over, free time is once again upon me!
> 
> Massive thanks goes out to swordmisstress, who was so generous to go over all chapters and help me edit it. She also beta'd this chapter !  
> Imaginary chocolates are being sent out as we speak.


	32. 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> disclaimer: i don't own marvel, dang.
> 
>  
> 
> Big thanks for sword mistress for betaing this chapter!
> 
> And thank you guys for the patience again! ^^

**Chapter 32**

Steve got out of bed early, just before the first light of day touched the city of New York. It was routine for him to wake early, something that remained unchanged from his time spent in the army. Ever since he'd put on the suit his days were hectic and filled with new responsibilities. This daily cycle was the only steady point in his life, so each morning, he ran several miles through a nearly empty Central Park. The city never slept, its lights were always lit and rarely dimmed. Yet it did have lulls, and watching the world rise from its slumber helped renew him and give him faith that things would be okay. Or, at least, before the day interrupted his life with unexpected events that called for Captain America.

The sun's rays hit the tower as he returned, the glass reflecting it with impeccable precision. He no longer found the futuristic structure hideous; there was artistic beauty in the lines sculpted by Tony's hand. It had just taken adjustment, a thorough examination of modern art and architecture to understand the current aesthetic. The private side entrance opened for him from nothing more than his proximity. However, before the door, closed somebody else stepped inside as well.

"Steve. Just the man I was looking for." Pepper smiled graciously at him, her face set in hardened determination, a look normally aimed at Tony. He supressed the sigh threatening to escape and pushed the guilt back to from the back of his mind. He had been working on an answer every day since he had learned the truth. He hated to burden Pepper with this, but her steely-eyed look told him he was about to have no say in the matter.

Pepper was determined and made no efforts to hide it. Barton and Romanov were too elusive and Banner carefully avoided the subject. She refused to bother Tony with it as would only encourage him to try more ways out of the hospital and his recovery was already draining his energy. Steve, however, was perfect. The first Avenger  _would_  give her the answers she was needed.

Steve unconsciously fell into parade rest. Pepper's stance told him that her well-timed arrival was no coincidence. He had to admire Pepper's strength of will and ability to keep up with Tony on a daily basis.  _I have faced Nazis and the Red Skull, space aliens and demigods (and I'm not even sure that's the strangest thing I've done), and run-of-the-mill bullies, but even I wouldn't want to tackle the day-to-day efforts of handling Stark._ He would happily address whatever issues one well-intentioned and determined woman had.  _Okay, maybe "happily" isn't quite the right word._

"Apologies for the way I'm dressed, ma'am." He met her gaze squarely. Battle tactics and attack formations were useless now; there was no defence against Pepper Potts in full inquisition mode, but he had always admired strong women. Actually, right now, she reminded him of Peggy and he felt worse for keeping things from her. Pepper smiled. "Really, Steve. I've seen Tony in far worse states, trust me." It hadn't escaped Pepper that Steve seemed reluctant, but resigned. She noticed he fidgeted slightly with his hands, as if he could find no proper place to put them. She made him uneasy, which hadn't happened before.  _Good Unusual, but good. Maybe I can get some answers._  She lead them a side door in the lobby, opening into a small vacant waiting room. "Please, take a seat. This won't take long."

Steve recognised an order when he heard one, no matter how politely phrased. Pepper and Natasha were two of the strongest women he knew, cut from the same cloth as Peggy had been. Had they desired, he had no doubt they could overthrow a government in seconds and he'd probably let them. Pepper would rule a nation with nothing but impeccable precession, compassion, and a will not to be subdued by any slander against her gender and she'd do it with grace..

Pepper wasted no time for further pleasantries; there were problems to solve, so she came right to the point. "Where Locke, Steve? Jarvis refuses to tell me anything. There is no information about his current whereabouts, just this ridiculous secrecy." She crossed her arms, tapping her heels at each word. "Do you know what happened the last time Tony forbade Jarvis from granting information?" Her heart skipped a beat at the memory and pain of finding out how close Tony had been to dying

Locke was lost and no one would tell her what happened or why. The one person who stepped in and did what she couldn't, heal Tony's heart, was missing. It had kept her up for hours, how Tony would react when he found out Locke was nowhere to be found. Who would be left to pick up the pieces this time?

Pepper looked directly at Steve, as much a dare to lie as a threat. "He almost died…not because of a stupid mid-battle decision or self-sacrificing behaviour." Her voice wavered with emotion at the memories. "The very thing keeping him alive was also slowly poisoning him, sending him to an early grave by no fault of his own." And now, Locke held the key to Tony's health and heart, damn any man who tried to stop or keep her from Tony's best interests.

Being kept in the dark regarding Tony was distressing. She had done so much for and with him, and she would not be the infamous Pepper Potts if she didn't do everything in her power right now. "Locke stepped in and did what I could never do for Tony. So you WILL give me answers, Rogers, and you will do it quickly."

* * *

Seven days since the events in the sewers and Steve still had trouble accepting that the very likeable Locke was, in fact, the equally villainous Loki. Or had been. It was almost impossible to imagine them being the same person. Steve knew first-hand what the horrors of war did to a person, so he could not help but wonder what had pushed Loki over the edge and ignite such dire events. Steve had to clear his mind and re-evaluate every encounter he ever had with Loki, both during and after the invasion, and then try to mesh them with the encounters he had with Locke.

He had never expected to  _actually like Loki_. He was precise and reliable. But he could also not only deflect, but handle and spar with Stark's moods and it was that was growing between him and Tony, their budding romance, love/hate relationship seemed to work . Those smiles on the engineer's face had been real, not the fake grins he so often sported in public. For crying out loud, Steve had caught them making out like love-struck teenagers in the middle of the hallway one afternoon. It was definitely not something he wanted to witness again. He felt his cheeks burn at the memory. He was thankful they were still dressed at the time. He didn't want to think what he would have seen had he arrived any later.

He knew Pepper liked Locke and had obviously trusted him with Tony, which was exceptional and spoke volumes of Loki they had never seen. Perhaps she could offer him a new perspective to solve this lingering unease.. Steve owed her the truth, or as much as he could tell her. "S.H.I.E.L.D. took custody of him after the battle. .I don't know where he is. They are keeping that information confidential." Pepper's eyes narrowed menacingly and Steve noted the clenching of her jaw.

"Then find out

Her knuckles went white against the portfolio in her hands. "Steve, I don't care if Locke is an illegal immigrant or a blue mutant or an alien from outer space." Steve started at that, but just barely controlled himself. "He has rights. Maybe you should be the one, as Captain America, to remind S.H.I.E.L.D. of those rights."

Pepper knew how to read people. She could read Tony like a book and knew the difference between fake or real mannerisms. Steve, however, was deadly honest; his stance and expression immediately gave away how he felt about this matter. So Pepper easily picked up that he was hiding more than guilt.

"You know why they took him, don't you?" Pepper was going to have very,  _very_  harsh words with each and every Avenger, and then have Fury up to his eye patch in more paperwork than he could manage in a lifetime.

"I…" Steve started, but Pepper cut him off.

"No. Don't even try to come up with an excuse. An excuse can't fix this mess you guys started." Pepper noted that even the super soldier serum couldn't hide how tired Steve looked right now. It wasn't just guilt, his slumped shoulders spoke of underlying sadness as well. Softening her voice, she added. "Steve, just tell me. Please. I know you want to help me fix this."

Steve had envisioned a confrontation with Pepper eventually, Of course, none of the scenarios in his mind played out like this. More importantly, he had expected to be more averse to telling Pepper the bitter truth - that the very man who'd invaded and tried to kill Tony was actually Locke. Yet he wasn't the same person any longer. He was just a man now, one who'd put everything he owned on the line to save Tony. Locke was well respected by Pepper, enough to be hired as Tony's personal assistant, a monumental feat. Pepper deserved to know the truth and honestly, Loki deserved the recognition of being more than the villain they supposed him to be.

"Loki."

Pepper blinked. "Loki? Loki has Locke?" She was surprisingly calm considering the information handed to her. It could only require Tony-level damage control. This was her territory. "Why? Why would Loki take Locke? That doesn't make any sense. Didn't Thor return him to stand trial?" The puzzle didn't align perfectly; there was a piece missing or wrongly placed. There was a storm about to break loose with Tony in its centre..  _Oh Tony, what have you gotten yourself into now?._

Steve felt more than saw the pieces clicking into place, he had to clear it up before it formed a distorted image. . "No, Loki doesn't have Locke." Confusion was evident on her face as he stood and placed his hand on hers. "They took all his powers from him and banished him. According to Thor, for an Asgardian, it's like a death sentence.. Loki is just a man now."

Steve saw that last piece click into place and the small mewl that escaped Pepper hit him as hard as seeing the blood flood out of her face.

"Locke…Locke is Loki." Her world shifted and sank, eyes wide in shock as she realised the full truth. Suddenly she found herself very grateful as Steve wrapped his arms around her, keeping her grounded.

"LOCKE IS LOKI!" She was positively fuming right now as her shout reverberated in the small room, which was, thankfully, soundproof. Clenching her firsts, she tried to count and breath calmly. "THIS is what he hid from me? For Christ's sake! Loki tried to kill him! He invaded New York!."

Pepper was shaking so hard, Steve was afraid to let her go in case she hurt herself. His life had been a series of events he'd never expected . He never expected to meet a man who believed in him whole heartedly, to find love in wartime and being unable to reach it, to be frozen in a casket of ice and wake to a new century. Things like meeting and befriending Howard's son, fighting alongside him, battling aliens or who knows what. Life kept on surprising him with things he'd never anticipated, his next statement topping the list.

"Pepper, we  _all_  liked Locke. Apparently, Loki's a pretty swell guy if you let him." The ex-god had stood with him in a fight, knowing he would be seen for what he was. He had saved lives. In Steve's book, that classified as a brave act. Even if he still didn't fully comprehend Loki, he understood the decision to make that sacrifice. These actions were recognised and respected by Steve. Loki couldn't be all bad.

"Pepper, look at me." Steve took a breath at the look she gave him. It was positively unnerving and he completely understood the phrase  _Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned_ ,although, this was more like a mother bear fighting for her cub. "Pepper, if I recall, you liked Locke too, didn't you? We all did. It isn't your fault any more than it is Tony's or even Loki's. As strange as it is to say, you did hire the perfect assistant for Tony. Somebody who could deal with all the eccentric Tony-esque behaviour and eccentric nature, He got things done, even managed to make Tony eat a completely normal dinner for once. It just happened to take an ex-god to do it."

Pepper snorted. It was true; Loki had done a perfect job. Only a trickster could make Tony eat on an almost regular basis or make the man fill paperwork in a far more timely fashion. She recalled how delighted she had been when paperwork showed only a few days late, as opposed to months, and without her needing to stand over Tony and point out every detail. . From a professional standpoint, she'd felt incredibly fortunate in finding Locke. In both behaviour and delivered work, Loki had been extraordinarily capable.

What she never could have expected, was the hostile work relationship developing in so much more and so quickly. The stolen glances and the changes in Tony's face whenever she mentioned Locke, the tender care when Locke had fallen into a panic attack, they were so damned honest. The worst part of all this was that she silently encouraged it from the side-lines. She had brought a madman into Tony's life and he had stolen his heart. "Goddamn it, Tony."

Before Steve had a chance to interject something about language use (he still thought people swore too much using the Lord's name) Pepper stormed out of the door like a firebrand in designer heels.

Steve still believed there was a solution and things might not be as bad as they looked. However, he had never been so glad not to be in Tony's shoes.

* * *

Tony gestured toward Bob. "Gimme!" he said delightedly..  _No tech in the hospital room, my ass!_  So far, with the exception of medical appliances, there was no usable piece of electronics in the room. Pepper had done her job well in the persuasion of the staff to prevent him from getting his hand on anything while he was "recovering." As if being wrapped in bandages could stop him.

He'd been awake now for about two days, give or take. Which meant, in his expert opinion, and his personal experience of how often he wound up in similar situations was extensive, that he was well enough to toy around with his tech. Besides, if no one could, or worse would tell him what happened to Loki, he would sure as hell find out himself. He wasn't about to let go of the crazy ex-god just yet. "Don't make me beg, Bob. You know I have to find him."

Bob glanced at the StarkPad, and the mad inventor half hanging out his bed, still wrapped in bandages and connected to various tubes. Bob frowned and sighed as the tablet was enthusiastically plucked from his hold as he settled in the bedside chair. He "Yer not supposed to have this, right?" His first visit and he was already breaking the rules. It would be worth it if they found Locke.

"See that's why I like you, Bob." Tony grinned. "You're a risk taker." With a soft touch, the screen sprang to life and Tony cooed happily. Now, all he had to do was re-route the system so that he could connect to Jarvis, who'd take care of the rest. It wasn't the best StarkPad in the series, but it was still better than every other piece of junk.

As happy as the Bob was to see a few of his friends alive and kicking, the older man was immensely saddened by the toll it took. Iron Man, no, Tony Stark looked like a blue, mangled ragdoll, more half-human than human, like something from a horror flick. The man indidyrf he'd taken worse, but Bob knew a bad injury when he saw it. Tony would be limping with a cast for a while and the blood loss would leave him weak.

And Locke, that poor kid. He had just been trying to find a place for himself in this crazy world was and God knew where he was now. The kid was trouble,, Bob knew that, but he had a good heart. From the first moment he'd laid eyes on the kid, he'd recognized the bossy youngster as troubled and confused. Locke was streetwise in one way and skittish like a kitten in others, striking out at those willing to help rather than face more pain.. Bob figured it had to do with his mutant heritage, but mutant or not, that boy had an honest heart underneath it all.

"You better get him back, Stark; I don't want nobody hurting that boy." Bob scowled at the engineer, making it very clear that he was not opposed to dishing out some damage of his own.

Tony didn't need to think twice about who Bob referred to by "that boy". The look of childlike enthusiasm over his toys was replaced by a pensive frown. "You and me both, Bob. You and me both."

Tony could only imagine the angry state Loki would be in, hearing himself described as a  _boy_ He could hear it now _\- How dare you call me a boy! One who has lived for …_ Tony chewed his lip for a moment, remembering howLoki always got these lines next to his eyes when he was really irritated by something.

_I miss him so much_.

"Trust me, Bob. I'll do everything I can to find him." Tony muted the StarkPad's sound turned it to stand-by, and hid it between the sheets of the bed. At least, what only remotely passed as a bed. It was one of the most monstrous things he'd ever slept on, making him long for the comfort of his own mattress. Preferably, with Loki waiting in it.  
Tony hadn't hidden the StarkPad a moment too soon because a second later, the doors were practically slammed opened and in walked a frenzied Pepper. Or, as he saw it, the Redheaded Harpy of Inevitable Fiery Doom.  _Oh, I'm in trouble now._

"ANTHONY EDWARD STARK!"

He looked at Bob, who stared at Pepper with the same dumbfounded expression. _Uh oh, busted_.. Moms, sisters, girlfriends, and women all around the globe had witnessed that look before on a man. It was the look of being caught doing something they shouldn't be, even if they had no idea what  _it_  was. Tony always followed the sage advice to pretend like nothing noteworthy happened after all. It hadn't worked for him yet, but he was determined that one day, it would.

"Jesus, Pep! I nearly flat-lined here!" Tony grasped at his reactor, hearing the heart monitor beep at the sudden surprise she'd given his heart. "And before you say anything, I probably thought it was a brilliant idea at the time." He caught Bob skulking out of the room, wisely avoiding confrontation. That sneaky bastard. Not that he blamed Bob. In fact, Tony envied him right now. The use of his full name was never,  _ever,_  a good thing.

Pepper glared at him. "You know perfectly well what you've done, or rather, who." She saw him contemplating a defence and before he could form his first retort, she added, "It's in your best interest, and his, I might add, to answer me honestly. How long have you known? How long did you hide from me who Locke really was?" Pepper could feel the tears starting and even she didn't know if it was from anger or concern or both. "What were you thinking?"

"I didn't know at first!" he snapped. "Honestly. It wasn't until after the mind-blowing sex that I found out." Impatiently, she tapped with on the floor viciously with her heels, a growing look of despair and anger he knew far too well.. "Wait, Pep, just give me a sec here, okay?"

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "I didn't even tell  _him_  when I knew. Don't ask me why, I just…it felt wrong, Pep." He glanced at her and saw her worrying her lip in frustration. Not the best sign, but the fear of impending bloodshot was removed. "So we uh, we just continued our daily routine of frustration. And then the whole blue mutant affair happened and Loki found out I knew and lashed out and well…"

Tony remembered it well, the desperate look of hate and pain in Loki's crimson eyes. It was the soul shattering sadness of realising everything that was once held dear wasn't what he thought it was. Loki had reacted like a cornered animal, so ready to lash out rather than suffer pain again. Tony had once been put in the same position, so he could relate. Except where Loki saw a monster, Tony saw a gorgeous being, an ethereal creature of blues and red.

"He never once hurt me, Pep. He couldn't. And I think that he didn't want to, either. I guess. He kind of grew on me, you might say." He shrugged, giving Pep that little half smile that only happened when he was being very open and honest with himself.

She sighed and stopped biting her lip, the rapid bullet pace of heel clicking slowing, then stopping altogether. "Tony…" Most of the real anger had already dissipated; now she just felt tired and betrayed. Tony had known for weeks and never said a word. Not having his trust hurt the most. "People grow fond of pets, Tony, not megalomaniac super villains." She pointed to him. "This is ridiculous, even for you."

"No, it's not. " Tony replied honestly. "It's improbable, sure, but I've been known to excel at things that are  _impossible_  for most." So far, he had not regretted a single moment spent with Loki. He had been in a unique position to see the real man Loki hid underneath all those layers built for protection. Even when he was a menace, Loki was capable of kindness and great good. Tony was willing to put up with the tricks, the teasing, the fiery discussions, all of it if it meant staying with the man he…

"Fuck."

Pepper watched the expression on Tony's face change from realisation, to joy, and ultimately, to grief. Had the situation not been so dire, it would have been humorous to see Tony's self-discovery.. "Tony,"Pepper whispered, almost afraid of the outcome and not wanting to add further sadness to his burden.

"I love him, Pep." It hurt, saying it out loud. It was one of the most terrifying things he'd ever done and it made everything painfully, frightfully real. That Loki wasn't here gnawed at the void he felt inside. "I need him back," he pleaded. If this was anything like or even just a fraction of what Pepper had always felt whenever he did something crazy, he owed her more than he could ever repay. He'd expected a rant about responsibility, but instead, Pepper looked at him with a sad look of sympathy.

"I should have known, you stupid man." Pepper shook her head, wanting the dull ache in her heart to fade. It hurt, hearing those words from Tony. Not solely because they weren't aimed at her, but because there were so brutally honest and Tony, so vulnerable and exposed.

"Hey, now. I'm a gen…"

"Yes, Tony, you are a genius. But you're also an idiot." She neared his bed and sat in the chair recently vacated by Bob. She felt so tired. "God Tony how did you fall for Loki knowing who he was? Wait, on second thought, don't answer that." She 'didn't want to hear the innuendo, along with the fake smile on his face to cover up the very real pain he was experiencing. She had seen the unlikely relationship develop. They were both well-suited for each other in intelligence and arrogance. For too many nights Pepper had stayed awake, contemplating if Tony would ever grow up and if he did, what kind of man he would become. A man to behold in wonder or in fear? Tony could have easily become the villain instead of the hero he was now. The possibility was there that he still could. What happened with Loki to cause such a change? She sighed. These two were going to be the death of her, she was positive;

Tony fiddled with the IV attached to the back of his hand, avoiding looking at Pepper. It was all a bit too real and too surreal. "I think I know now how you always felt, whenever I was gone in some battle. Or when I didn't come back at all." The ache in his heart intensified. It was terrifying to not know were Loki was, knowing that if S.H.I.E.L.D. or any other malicious and two-faced organisation found out they'd do anything to keep him from Tony, not to mention what they would do to him. He doubted they would treat him well. Was he wounded and hiding? Too many questions running amok in his mind, too many memories of his own captivity haunted his thoughts. If S.H.I.E.L.D. did have him, Tony would raze it to the ground to get him back.

It wasn't just the stress of not knowing where Loki was, it was the anger welling up inside him. Rationally, he knew that S.H.I.E.L.D. would not treat Loki the same way Tony had been handled in Afghanistan. It was his heart that did the talking, the part of him wanted to furiously lash out at the thought that they would still consider him Asgardian instead of just a man. The things they  _could_  do terrified and infuriated him. Tony unknowingly curled his hands into fists, squeezing them so hard that he trembled.

When Pepper reached out to touch his hands, the shock sent him flying back to the here and now.. Tony forced himself to relax, taking a deep breath to calm down. Pepper had always been there, an unchanging force in his life no matter what he did. He knew she would help him through this, even after all he had done to her, he knew. If he had to burn half the world, she would stand beside him and tell him, "Enough."

Taking her hands in his, he whispered, "I'm so sorry, Pep," his voice rough with worry. This constant concern he felt was new to him. He had worried after people before - Pepper, Rhodey - but this was much stronger. It was like somebody holding a magnifying glass over an ant;the intensity just hurt. Tony never thought he could feel like this.

She gave his hands a comforting squeeze. "It's okay, Tony. I'mhaving a hard time taking everything in and coming to terms with all of this." Pepper couldn't be mad any longer, not after seeing all of this. Loki didn't appear to be the kind of man who knew love, but she believed Locke was. For now, that was enough.

She knew what she had to do. Standing up and leaning over Tony to kiss him on the forehead, she patted him on the shoulder. "Tell Jarvis to give me access. I'll need him for this, but nothing  _I don't want to see_  or so help me, Tony..." Her heart felt lighter at the grin on his face. She didn't even need to know how he'd do it, but she knew Tony well enough that he'd find a way.

On her way out of the hospital, the first thing Pepper did was snap open her cell phone and make a call. "Pepper here. I don't care what it takes, Steve. I don't care who you need to persuade or how you do it. I want Loki back in the tower, in one piece. And I want it NOW."

* * *

Steve frowned and stared at the phone as Pepper disconnected.  _When had it become so difficult so know right from wrong, the good from the bad and how many of us just got lost along the way?_  He really didn't want to go against S.H.I.E.L.D., but he could not, in good conscious, let them hold Loki for sins he committed as a god. It would not be the first time they'd lied to him about their intentions: he doubted it would be the last either. It said a lot about what he truly thought of S.H.I.E.L.D. that he thought them capable of torture.

He was still frowning at the phone when Natasha entered the room, his pensive look an immediate giveaway, not that the assassin needed much to figure out another's thoughts Normally he was one of the very few that could notice her entering a room. But this time, r he was so engrossed in thoughts that he hadn't noticed her until she sat down.

Natasha waited patiently with crossed arms for him to finish his thoughts, though she had a good idea of what they were. "What is wrong?" No point in delaying the inevitable. Steve, she knew, was an honest man and would answer her. She would postpone her inquiry if the situation required it. Her actions were always tailored to her needs.

He sighed and rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Locke. Loki. That tall, blonde, blue mutant guy who was a god and is now Tony's assistant. Does everything have to be so complicated in this tower?" He was conflicted. He liked to believe the best in people and even having seen some of the worst, he still believed in the American government and its military. The Army had taught him to follow orders, but only so long as it suited them. He had broken a few to save many. Could it break even more to save one?

"He isn't the same man. He's not a god anymore." Steve frowned and fell back against the couch pillows. "I liked him. Locke, I mean. I still like him."

Natasha sat back, giving the air of nonchalant interest. "You don't know that." Her arrival here had a purpose. She had seen the on-going indecisiveness Rogers exhibited had ever since the battle in the sewers. All that was left now was a push in the right direction to get the desired outcome.

Steve knew he was undergoing a soft interrogation. Natasha's body language and seeming disinterest was just a front, she would remember every word spoken, every nuance, vividly. In all fairness, he understood her desire for answers,yet what he needed was more than questions.

For now, Tony was still in the hospital recovering from his wounds, bedridden. That is, until he managed to con his way free.. Pepper hadn't let anybody but Bruce near him until she had resolved other issues first, whatever those were. Now he was left with her instructions to solve this week's dilemma and the one most likely to get Tony killed if he didn't himself.

Loki.

Steve clenched his jaw and set his gaze on Natasha. "You're right. I don't know that. What I do know is that Locke is the man Tony cares for and he will move heaven and earth to find him. no matter the cost. What I fear is another matter entirely"

"Oh?" A raised eyebrow was all Natasha needed to make clear he had her attention.  
Steve frowned. Natasha never needed to say  _Oh, do please continue_. People always felt like pouring their heart out around her. It was her greatest, and perhaps deadliest, gift. " For all I know, it could be a trap. Loki could be up to some ridiculous scheme. But it doesn't  _feel_  that way. And if it isn't, then I fear S.H.I.E.L.D. will do far more harm than good while he remains in their custody." Steve believed anyone could change their ways, find a better path, but he also knew it was a troubled road.

"I liked Tony's assistant, he is and was a good guy. And he…" Steve paused, thinking back on the progress of the battle.. "Loki did everything needed to get Tony  _and_  the other men out of there. During battle, I had my back to him because I had faith. I had faith  _in him_. It's no longer hard to understand why Thor tries to put his brother in a good light."

"What about you Natasha?" Steve had seen first-hand what the horrors of war did to a person, what kind of broken man was its result. The all-too-familiar symptoms had been there if he looked back. Loki was finding peace here, a last shred of hope that was about to be taken in the most brutal of ways. What would happen to the man's soul once that happened? What would happen to Tony and how far would Tony go to prevent it?

Natasha had her own way of caring for the team, even if she appeared to be cold and reserved. "No." She shook her head. "I never trusted him." Slowly she tapped her fingers on the table, thinking. "I did not foresee other developments, I admit. Suffice it to say, he managed to surprise me."

It wasn't a complete no, but neither did she agree with Steve's point of view. "I don't agree with whatever S.H.I.E.L.D. is doing. The fact that I'm being left in the dark is telling me enough. Had I known then what I know now, I would never have let them take him. He deserves another chance." Steve looked at her, gaze steady. "Who among us hasn't been offered that chance when we thought we least deserved it?"

"For what it's worth," came a voice from the doorway, "I think Steve is right." Bruce shuffled into the room, holding an empty cup exhaustion evident on his face. "Loki promised me something before he left and he delivered. It doesn't make his earlier wrongs right. But…" Bruce shrugged and ran his hand through his messy hair, yawning.

"Second changes can change a man if offered freely,"Bruce said quietly, "I wish I had been offered one." He noticed how strong his hold on the coffee cup was when Natasha's stare shifted. "Sorry I'm...I am a bit on edge. Nothing to worry about." Gently, he placed the mug on the counter, still in one piece, and leaned back against one of the many stools present.

Earlier today, Bruce had paid a visit to Tony in the hospital. Thankfully, he was out of the red zone, but he still was under observation. Bruce knew that the longer the Loki situation was unresolved, the more likely it was that Tony woul do something reckless and dangerous for his health, like escaping and going after Loki himself. After all, one of the first things Tony asked for when his voice returned was Loki. Bruce understood, but there was nothing he could do, no answer he could provide.

"I would prefer it," Hh said, eyes flickering between the two, "If Loki was under our custody instead of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s." The unassuming scientist smiled bitterly. "I can't exactly say that I trust them with any atypical human, be it mutant, ex-god, alien, or altered human. They don't exactly have the greatest track record." The flare of green against his skin reflected how deeply this distrust went, and for good reason.

Clint had followed Dr. Banner into the room, obviously lured in by the on-going discussion. Most of the Avengers were here now, except for Thor, but they all knew that the big Asgardian would have saved his little brother by now is he could. Barton hopped onto the kitchen counter beside Bruce, surveying the room. "Isn't anybody going to ask my opinion?"

Natasha shook her head at his comment, mouth quirking slightly. "You're going to give it, regardless of whether anybody asks."

Clint smirked. "I know you love to hear me talk, Tash." He pulled up a leg and sat half perched on the counter It had taken him two days to find the best places in the communal area. From this particular spot, he could easily oversee the entire kitchen area and reach for the fridge. It was ideal.

Steve had yet to get a handle on the easy-going dynamic between the two. In his opinion, Natasha's demeanour demanded respect and politeness, yet Barton spoke to her as he would everybody else. "I do need your opinion, yes." Steve nodded at Barton. "I assume you heard the entire conversation from the beginning?"

Barton nodded. "Yep. The whole deal, Cap." He waited a moment as he accepted a cup of tea from Bruce, who had kept himself busy in the kitchen. They had begun to know each other's habits, including food and drinking preferences. Lately, Clint had taken a liking to Bruce's tea.

"I don't regret shooting the bastard. Not a bit, not after everything he put me through. You can't expect me to just change my mind overnight and accept he's Mr. Nice Guy all of a sudden." He shrugged, taking a sip from the hot beverage before it cooled down "That said, I would be a hypocrite if I told you guys I didn't believe in second chances, or people changing." He shared a meaningful look with Natasha.

Steve watched the interaction with interest. Nobody knew the finer details of what transpired between the two, only that somehow the Widow had been persuaded to switch sides. Hawkeye had been instrumental in this.

Steve was thankful for the honest opinions everybody gave. "We could not have reached Tony and the other captives in time if it hadn't been for Loki" Steve said. ".He risked everything, knowing that his cover would be blown. Like Bruce said, something isn't right here. We need to find out what it is in order to proceed. Regardless, I believe Loki should not remain in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s custody.

Natasha stood. "I might have a lead." She noted. She placed her chair neatly under the nearest table and headed for the door. "Don't wait up for me, boys."

Clint called after her. "You're up to something, aren't you, Nat?" She stopped long enough to shoot a warning glare that would make the hardest man flinch.,. He held up his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, I'll shut up. Good luck." Before his sentence was finished, the Russian spy had left the room. He turned back to Steve.

"So Cap. You're really are serious about this, aren't you?" Clint was honestly a bit surprised, even is his face didn't betray it. " I feel like I've missed out on something here, the way you guys describe Loki. It certainly wasn't the one I knew. That crazy bastard wouldn't recognise mercy or friendship if it walked up and bit him in the ass."

Clint's face darkened with the memory of those days, a tight, pinched look replacing his friendlier smile. "I'm going along with this only because of Nat and that's it. You guys better hope you're right about Loki, because if anything goes wrong?" Clint mimicked a shot with his bow. "S.H.I.E.L.D. will be the last of that bastard's worries, trust me." He slid off the counter after finishing his tea, leaving Bruce and Steve to their own devices as he left the room.

"Well, that could have gone better." It was the gamma-ray expert who broke the unexpected tension. Bruce had overheard the conversation between Steve and Fury when Loki was captured. Jarvis had had to remind him to do breathing exercises as he flared green – Loki was about as nonthreatening as a soaked kitten at that point, drained and wounded. Even though there was no love lost between the two, it was still the wrong move according ot Bruce. He'd heard Steve trying his very best to listen to the command to stand down, even if he was clearly in disagreement about S.H.I.E.L.D.'s course of action.

Steve sighed "It went better than I anticipated." He felt more tired than he had been in months. "Tony is going to have me strung up for discussing Loki's fate without him." He felt like he was drowning in guilt, coming between Tony and Loki like this. After all it was Tony who was romantically involved with the one-time villain, if Loki still fit that description. Although Steve was pretty sure Tony would strongly deny any romantic feeling if he ever mentioned it.

Yet the soldier recognised the sideway glances stolen when they thought no one else was looking. He had looked at Peggy in the same manner often enough. Even after all this time, he still deeply missed the strong-willed woman. Some days, he wondered what they could have become had he not been frozen in ice,. But time had been unkind to him and now was seventy years later. Peggy had married, borne children and then grandchildren, grown old, and lived a full life. For him, it still felt like yesterday that they had shared that kiss.

It still felt like yesterday that he had to say farewell.

Steve stood, resolute in action. "I'm going to the gym." It wasn't that he needed to work-out, but the daily routine helped him settle his mind. He had made his decision and now he needed to sort out the last details. He clapped Bruce on the shoulder. "I need to keep myself occupied while we wait. I'll see you around dinner time. I'm cooking."

Steve knew that many of them knew involuntary solitude and loneliness intimately. If he could spare Tony that awful, soul-wrenching feeling, he would.

He would move mountains, or a government agency from its very foundations, to spare his friend that.


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry , long period before updating is long.
> 
> New chapter is unbeta'd so please bear with grammatical errors and such.

**Chapter 33**

Pepper was ecstatic about his seemingly good behaviour; she even went as far as believing that her sense of responsibility began to rub off on him. Tony figured she'd knew better, that it was just some bizarre state of denial. No sane man or woman would filly trust a tony Stark who acted well behaved, listened to others and was overall a pleasant man.

Tony slept during the day; letting nature and a healthy dose of medication heal his injuries. This way he didn't have to deal with any nagging nurse or prying doctor, they'd just let him rest peacefully. And for now, Tony decided, it was best to let them keep thinking that he did exactly that.

His nights had been spent on research, tweaking the old mark five blueprints, and calculating the limitations in the new design. After all it wasn't easy to build a harness that withstood extreme cold on both outside and inside without losing flexibility. It takes at least a genius to figure it out.  _Thank god he was one_.

Tony smiled as he watched recent footage of his project. Jarvis had worked hard during the day, slowly all the pieces started to fall into the right place. "Estimate time till finish Jarv?" All in all considering the circumstances he'd done a good job. Not great, not by a long shot, but for it would do for the moment. The armor was too raw for Tony's liking, he longed to crawl in his workshop for a few days to fine-tune it to perfection.

Jarvis his voice rang through Tony's earpiece. "Seven hours and forty two minutes sir." The A.I. Paused a moment. "May i suggest changing the colour scheme? Hot rod red and gold do not appear to be appropriate for this attire."

Tony stopped massaging the palm of his hand and knuckles, continuously working on a small tablet was giving him a sore cramp. "Any suggestions J?" Automatically he slid past the ordinary RAL colours, all of them either to plain or boring; he could have fun with Barbie pink though. Tony was just not willing to die for the sake of a good laugh, even if it would match ridiculously well with Loki's blond hair and blue eyes.

"Lining up my suggestions based on sir Laufeysons colour preferences." Jarvis didn't need a visual to know there was a smile on his creators face, the A.I. was certain it contained hope. "Sir?"

Tony, of course, had already picked out whatever took his fancy before Jarvis presented his bland selection. However the audible tone of regret in the A.I.'s voice snapped him back to attention. "Yes" Tony said even if he didn't want to hear it, bad news wasn't welcome.

"I regret to inform you that there is no certainty that we will find his location, sir."

Tony stared at the screen with a blank expression, face paler than normal. "No... God dammit no, i  _know_  he's alive J. And I don't care under what rock there keeping him I'll get him back" The Loki he knew didn't know how to give- up, the trickster was probably making elaborate scheme's for his escape by now. He would may trick you in believing he was docile, and if he had magic, show you an illusion. But giving in..." no, he's out there."

Throwing something solid seemed to be a perfectly valid excuse to alleviate his anger right now. Tony's fingertips were already turning red from the strength used to hold his tablet. "Anything on S.H.I.E.L.D. yet?" Tony said nearly grinding S.H.I.E.L.D.'s name between his molars in an angry hiss.

"No sir." answered Jarvis and a faint blue dot started blinking in the upper left corner. One that could no longer be ignored by his creator. Or so Jarvis hoped.

Tony almost missed it, hearing nothing than the faint no sir Jarvis gave. "What's this then?" he so wished for date on Loki when he touched it, that disappointment ran deep when Tony found his own company's logo as it popped open. "What the..." After a quick scan however he realised it might not be the setback it appeared to be. "Why didn't i know  _this_?"

"My attempts to alert you were thus far ignored, sir." Those used to the subtly changes in the A.I.'s voice could pinpoint the huff of annoyance.

Tony almost dropped the device when his body relaxed and his grapple softened. "My tech, who the hell is using this!" Not the normal kind as well, but one specialised in rerouting, deleting and breaking visual inputs of camera's. It was safely kept at home, in his secured workshop. He could count the people with the code on one hand, including Loki. "Damn spies, see what i get! Sharing my home and then they just waltz in and..."

Jarvis interrupted his creators blabbering immediately, before there was another delay on valuable information. "I would like to notify that the object in question is being used."

Tony hadn't seen it yet, his focus was lacking. How many hours had he actually rested during the day? "Locate the origin of the transmission. Show any visual on full screen." He felt like smacking his own head when he saw that it started recording ten minutes ago.

This urge grew when the data streamed in; it was a secured S.H.I.E.L.D. base. "Can you trace it to their headquarters?" Vision fixated on the screen he meticulously searched for anything leading to Loki. Yet it was like hitting a wall.

"No trace or link detected to this location. It appeared they used a separate grid, relying more on manpower than technology."

_So they tried their best at keeping me out if this, I wonder why?_

"Video feed found, shall i play it from the start, sir?" Jarvis suggested, strongly.

_A remote location in the harbour? Not suspicious at all_." you know it J. "At first he only saw a large empty room and a cage obviously meant for Bruce. Not that this simple old model could ever contain his friend if the scientist was ticked off.

Tony got another view, a close-up up of the contents in that jail. "Freeze. Only give me feedback from current camera position." A weight lifted from his heart, air filled his lungs making him feel light weighted and relieved. Tony Pushed the screen so close that it all but touched his nose, because there he was.

"Loki."

Loki vehemently despised this slow and muddled state he was in, drugged as he was, the ex-god could not do much besides rest and try to rule his muddled thoughts. Keeping his mind from wandering was one of the few remaining things that preserved him from eternal boredom, and insanity. All was made worse by the damp clothing clinging to his skin.

He sighed, whipping away a sweat drop that was slowly sliding down his forehead.  _Eight days and I already have a small beard_. Loki shivered at the thought of how he looked; it could not be too different from the first time he took note of his renewed appearance _._  There was no point in fretting over facial hair though; the current circumstances would not allow it.

How Anthony would enjoy mocking me for my appearance.

For a second Loki closed his eyes and he could clearly see the brilliant smile given by the engineer, soft, honest and arrogant. Stark would make fun of his appearance, righteously so, not that Loki would tell him. He would be inclined to return with an equally witty comment, and ignite a battle of teasing words. However Those taunting smiles held meaning, and his body always reacted favourably towards them.

Loki felt lighter when Anthony really smiled at him, it felt pleasing, warm. Still, deep down his rational side continuously told him to detach himself from these feelings, for they only caused complications.  _So here I am, drugged and locked. All because I gave in to those fleeting emotions._  No matter how hard he tried, Loki, found no regret for his actions.

He yawned involuntary, feeling himself falling into another drug induced slumber. His nightmares had returned, haunting every second of sleep, twisted images of the past and cruel vision of the future.  _No_.

He really did not want to fall asleep.

Gold shimmering horizons for as far as the eye could reach, beauty, warmth and bright futures for all who lived there. A golden-haired mother sung a lullaby, as her two small children dozed. A soothing song filled with a mothers love, just for them. She placed a feather light kiss on both their foreheads, wishing they would grow up to be fine young men.

These children were hers, she would she love them forever.

The gold turned grey and grew cold, the night came, covering their world in darkness. Two young children waited by a fireplace for story time . Their father entered, long beard, a strict and righteous face, to tell them a tale instead of their mother. The eldest boy had insisted to hear about his father's battles.

Tales of great vicious beasts and emotionless ice-giants filled their nights now. How those Jotuns plundered the lands and devastated villages, kidnapped or even murdered innocents in cold-blood. Those monsters might be shaped as one of them, there was no warm heart beating inside their chest. No consciousness keeping them from committing such vile acts.

The vivid imagination of a young child made everything feel real, it was terrifying. However the eldest of the brothers laughed at the childish fears of the youngest, he was looking forward to sword fights and glorious battles with those creatures. His father was pleased by this lust for (battle)and gave his son a proud smile.

"Ice-giants do not really exist, do they?" Asked the youngest bravely.

"They do boy, they are as real as  _you_  and I."

Loki did not show his fear, he was brave, and those monsters could  _not_  be real. The eye of his father stared at him without kindness, piercing and calculating, knowing something hidden to him. Why couldn't their mother sing for them anymore? He preferred her voice over any of these horrific tales.

,Nightmares plagued Loki in his sleep afterwards. The other children constantly mocked him for what they perceived as weakness. And he grew bitter, disliking the presence of others his age. It wasn't hate…yet, it was merely hatreds seed rooted in the boy's tiny heart.

Monstrosities of childhood turned into a burning will to destroy the ice-giants from those old tales. Time, knowledge and rigorous training had transformed him into an intelligent, sly adult who knew how to wield a spear and throw projectiles like no other. Armed with an arsenal of deadly spells and illusions, and no man or monster could match him in speed or magical skill. However he was still different from all the others, who grew up to be strong warriors skilled in close combat. He was still mocked, and his father still stared at him with that one eye.

Cold, calculating and  _knowing_.

Loki's smile, that of a young innocent child turned into a twisted, menacing grin. He would show them all, soon those Jotuns would be stories, nothing but stories.

Their gruesome touch burned his flesh more than it did for the warriors three and sif. They got off leniently, their flesh only scorched by the freezing touch of an ice giant. Loki's pain came from knowledge, and it would last; it wasn't a wound that could be healed.

_You are nothing but an intelligent monster._

_You do not belong, you never did._

_You are a thing, a curiosity kept in a golden cage._  Slowly the blue crept back into his pores, pale flesh returning to cover his hands. His brother left, returning to their warm house, a hearty meal and caring friends. Loki stayed behind, summer time was over, nothing but ice coved his dark world now.

The dream ice melted, baring midnight black rock formations. Gnarled sharp edges cut through the landscape; his world was being rebuilt as the ground crumbled Beneath Loki. a void of nothingness came into existence, pulling him in, beckoning him to take the final step.

_You are a monster, but you could be so much more._

_Yes,_  he did  _want_ had heard those words before, back then they had lured him into the never ending abyss below his feet. He could feel the vile breath of the Other stroking his skin as it spoke with a slimy voice. "I can give you freedom." The creature smiled and showed a row of razor sharp teeth, the Other was monstrous, just like him." We can use a man with your wits and cleverness, a man  _fit_  to rule. Do you want to."

Loki's body was moving on its own accordance. "Yes."

_"No!."_

The void took him.

Loki opened his eyes, breath heavy and his nightmare as clear as day. Hands clutched the blanket in death grip, nearly tearing it in two. He forced himself to relax, letting the fabric slip between his fingers. Loki calmed the myriad of emotions swirling in his core, these past days he'd gotten slightly better at it.

Truth nestled in his mind; he did not need the false sense of freedom given by others. They were all golden cages made from lies. Loki started laughing, not in sorrow or anger, but because of his own stupidity. Why had he not realised that the thing binding him all those years were words and lies?  _Was I really that blind?_

Natasha had no trouble entering the premise of the compound were S.H.I.E.L.D. Kept Loki Imprisoned .The harbour held enough crooks and narrow corners filled with shadows for her to use. Quick, nimble movements brought her to a side entrance, were a single guard kept a watchful eye. That was before he dozed off in a dreamless slumber.

You'd only see the Natasha if she pleased it so, and by then it would be too late to call for help. Years of training in hand to hand combat and strict education made her a deadly force to be reckoned with. No sane person dared to keep the Black Widow from reaching her end goal. Alarms and cameras formed no problem as well, Stark had plenty of devices stored that could crack a code with one singular touch.

The building's layout had remained unchanged; it was still empty on the inside except for Loki's cell. Natasha made no effort to hide her presence, Loki had noticed her presence before and skill like that did not vanish overnight. Concealing her whereabouts, would grant her no advantage in this game.

Much to Natasha's surprise and amusement, she caught Loki sleeping. A small amused grin played on her red lips, breaking her stoic expression. He was so vulnerable now, so plain, just like any other normal man. She could end his life easily and not a soul would be wiser as to who did the deed.

Loki's sharp intake of breath caught her attention, the trickster moving franticly in his sleep.  _Nightmares?_ Natasha had not expected the ex-god to be bothered by any. His eyes shot open, and she carefully observed the waking man. Gradually the Loki came to his senses , his breathing calmed down, the firm hold on his covers relaxed.

Astoundingly Loki chuckled as he started waking. There was no madness in that laugh, none of the pain and hate that had seeped through before. There was understanding and hope; he whispered something so softly that even the Black Widow did not catch it.

Natasha spoke hoping to catch the trickster by surprise. "Care to share with the rest of the class Loki?" Loki flinched at the sudden intrusion of her words and for a split-second she even doubted it was truly him in that prison. The reaction she got was just so spontaneous, so typically human.

Loki was startled by her appearance and it had caused him to snap out of his wandering thoughts back to the façade of reality. "Romanoff" He tried his best to calm down, covering his mixed emotions under a blanket of indifference. "You have come to play judge, haven't you? To see if you can find any merit in the actions I performed."

Natasha concluded that this was clearly the "old" Loki speaking, a smooth alluring voice tempting you to spill answers. She could admire such a trait in her line of work." Your assumption is correct." Loki gave her a recognisable calculative look in return. He was judging her as well.

Loki smirked. "You mean to ask why I am on this forsaken planet, and not in a cell on Asgard. Well your answer is quite simplistic. Odin grew tired of his little monster, I outlived my use." He might be rid of their lies but Loki could never escape what he was, or what other had made him become. "That is what you wanted to hear is it not Romanoff?"

Natasha frowned. "Thor told us otherwise." Loki was easier to read in his current state, even if he still hid it really well. The tell-tale signs of human emotions, twitches and subtle movements gave away more than the ex-god would ever say.  _He really believes he is a monster_.

Loki hissed in contempt at hearing Thor's name. "Ah, the golden child of Asgard. Pray tell, what did he mention." He leant against the wall for support. This conversation was draining him, each time it became harder to form coherent sentences. One way or another, he would make Fury feel his scorn for this displeasing treatment.

"You caused his banishment, selfishly wanting to rule your homeland all by yourself." Unknowingly Thor had given her all the details; once he started talking it was hard to end the stream of words. The thunder god certainly did like to tell stories. Most of these tales included adventures, battles and pranks he pulled with his companions, Loki being a constant factor in any trouble they'd run into.

Loki rolled his eyes and swung his arm backwards in defence. "And I was in my right to do so; Thor is an overgrown child  _craving_  the attention of his father. Not a man  _worthy_ of ruling. I would have brought glory to Asgard, knowledge over brutish power." He clenched his fist; his world could have been so peaceful if everything went according to his carefully planned schemes. Frustrated with either himself, his prison or the inescapable string of fate that brought him down repeatedly. Loki started pacing his cell like a caged feline.

Natasha cocked an eyebrow and followed his movements. "Correct me if I am wrong, but did you not try to wipe out a whole planet? Did you not want to do the same here." From what she found out Thor had broken a treaty by spilling blood just to satisfy his pride. Four days as a human was enough to redeemed apparently.  _So why was Loki's situation so different?_

Loki started picking his left hand unintentionally. "The first is of no concern to you. And I see my true intentions for Midgard already have been twisted by the words of others." He doubted he ever really wanted to rule this miserable place. It was just another lie fed to him by The Other, his actions on Earth only fuelled by the fresh wound of finding out his despicable ancestry.

The Black widow caught his strange action, a typical nervous tic commonly caused by trauma. Dot's connected lightning fast _, Loki was adopted, he is from a different world than Thor_. Curiosity caused her to ask something she immediately regretted. "If you're not an Asgardian, then  _what_  are you?"

Loki froze and looked at her with pure malice marring his features. "A monster." Those poisonous words stung , w _hat_  are you, not  _who_  or from  _where._ No, just a straightforward  _what_. A thing instead of a person, that's all he ever was to others.

Only his engineer had treated him differently. Anthony had tried to reason with, what he believed to be a madman, while others chose to pick up arms without thinking. Anthony had never showed fear as others did at the mere sight of his blue skin, instead those wonderful brown eyes had shown him intense curiosity and desire. Loki knew something inescapable had nestled inside him that moment in the rain.

She had made a mistake, a rookie mistake that could have cost her life in any other situation. Once, Thor had told her a children's tale, about Ice-giants . Enormous and ruthless humanoid beings, cold as ice no heart beating in their chest. To her and the other Avengers it has been just a story, a myth. For Thor and Loki Bilgesnipes, giants and otherworldly creatures were an everyday reality.  _Small for a giant._

The temperature started to feel like a stern Russian winter, even she felt the cold chilling her to the bone. Loki looked up at her, violent red started to bleed in his eyes foreboding the change of his body.  _A defence mechanism? Interesting._

What kind of man made his child grow up like that, believing his origins to be the purest of evil ?

Natasha looked to him, something akin to pity in her eyes. "Monsters don't save lives." Honestly, she didn't believe her words could soothe the enmity flowing in Loki. She could not blame him for the rage he felt. Who knows what devastation she could have sowed in his stead.

Loki loathed the way Romanoff got under his skin witch such ridiculous easy. What aggravated him further was that he could not detect falseness in her words. Did that daft wench really believe the nonsense she uttered? He wasn't anything but a monstrosity.

He barely maintained his footing due to his drugged state, still he managed to lash out towards The Black Widow. "Get out of my sight." Antagonised by her presence he wanted her out this instant. He bellowed aggressively gesturing towards the exit with his arm. "NOW."

Natasha left the premise of the building, as silent as she came. There was no calming down the furious ex-god, at least not for now. She had made her judgement, and further prodding for answers would only cause more harm. Yet her visit wasn't without cause, even if Loki hadn't noticed the change in the air yet. The drug meant to keep Loki calm and docile was gone, the air was clean, the water pure. It was up to Loki now to prove to himself he wasn't a monster.

The camera above her head followed her movements too thoroughly for it to be a coincidence There was no alarm nor agents running in, just a watchful eye. " Stark." Natasha said with a knowing smile, well aware that there could be just one man watching this instant.

Tony was certain that Natasha knew he'd watched along. She would have never looked directly into the camera otherwise. It couldn't just be that she all of a sudden the Black Widow had aided Loki in a possible escape. Not without a reason, nobody did anything for Tony voluntarily. Just Pepper and Rodey but they were his friends… And that was it, all of them, they weren't just a team, along the way they'd become friends.

"Loki's right isn't he. I am a fool." Tony huffed with a laugh.

"I'm positive there's truth in those words, sir." Noted Jarvis with an air of certainty.

Tony smiled at the polite, i told you so. "Nothing good ever comes from an A.I.'s attempt to turn against their masters."

"According to my research most artificial intelligence proves to be rather efficient in overthrowing and ruling the human race" Jarvis stared in a calculated voice, pausing a second before continuing. "I assure you however, that taking care of you sir. Is keeping me occupied."

Tony rolled his eyes and started typing a message rapidly." I've made you too smart for your own good." He hoped the man was awake enough to hear the...  _forget it_. The only assurance would be to get bob on the phone directly. "Jarvis dial Bob for me will you?"

After ringtone sounded a few time Tony started to grow worried and mumbled to himself. " Pick up, pick up…"His free hand was tapping on the metal bars of the hospital bed when Tony finally heard the click he waited for. . Years of bothering Pepper after midnight had definitely thought him people didn't agree to be woken up at three in the morning. Wisely he had the good sense to hold the phone at least a good five centimetres from his ear.

"STARK ARE YOU NUTS! Do you have any idea what time it is! "It was clear from the annoyed tone in Bob's voice that he had been sleeping soundly before the call.

In his defence, yes Tony was perfectly aware of the hour, he just didn't care. Neither would Bob, Tony guessed, once he heard his reasons. "Time for the wicked to play." Grinned Tony. "I need a ride. And something decent to wear." Tony doubted that his current state of dress would leave the impression he wanted.

Bob grunted. "I'm not your driver, or your assistant Stark. Learn to take care of yer own will ya."

Tony promptly interrupted Bob before he had any change to further speak his mind on the subject. "I know, my real driver would tell Pepper if i sneaked out the hospital. And that, my friend, is where you come in." On the other side of the line came a heavy, annoyed sigh, however any immediate repartee stayed out.

"I found him Bob, and i intend to bring him back. So yeah…get your ass down here as soon as possible." Tony's brain was overheating with all the things he'd needed to prepare in order to set things right. Not just having Loki back, but having Loki back for good.

Hurried shuffeling sounds in the background, either bed sheets thrown off with haste or pants pulled on, alerted him that bob was on the move. Tony heard a loud thumb accompanied by swearwords that would make a tough sailor blush. He could depict what happened from picking out the word toe in the stream of obscenities.

Bob still managed to form a reply before the connection severed. "See ya in an hour."

Tony pulled out the IV drip, it wasn't as if he really needed it any longer, God knows why the wanted to keep him on the damn thing. The monitor had already been rerouted in case of unpredictable emergencies. Nobody in or out the hospital would be wiser, Tony would be long gone by the time anybody did. Slowly, yet with renewed strength he slid out of the bed. Using the wall as extra support tony stood straight and stepped forward. "I'm taking a quick shower, let me know if anything changes Jarvis."

He was going to wear a different kind or armor today. One he was well acquainted with. Tony didn't need his repulsors to bring down S.H.I.E.L.D. or for that matter, anybody opposing him, if he had to.

Tony would make Fury regret ever imprisoning the man he loved.

#### 


	34. 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> disclaimer: do not own marvel, never will.
> 
> this is an unbeta'd product, so all foolish mistakes are solely mine and mine alone. Woe me :p

** Chapter 34 **

****

Bob groaned and leaned back is his car seat, it wasn't a beauty to behold but it had four wheels, breaks and signal lights that actually worked. The beast, that's what he called her. Named after the loud gurgling sound she made when he turned the keys. The beast and his small apartment were all the riches he owned and needed. There was no point spending money on overpriced luxuries; after all he'd learned the hard way that nothing went the way you wanted. Always prepare for the unexpected, manage your savings and be kind to strangers.

So here he was, at five in the morning, playing chauffeur for the richest man in town, Tony Stark.  Who wasn't a stranger any longer, more like a mutual acquaintance, Bob guessed. Another good example of ending up in unexpected places, if somebody told him five months ago that helping that poor disoriented kid would lead to this he’d call them crazy.  
  
Heck he’d still call them crazy.

Half of the time Bob was furious with Starks ridiculous behaviour. No sane man woke another up at three in the morning to "pick them up". It wasn’t even asked politely, more…thrown his way in hope he’d catch it.

Half of the time, Stark was a decent man who did the right thing. Albeit in a rather eccentric flashy way, loud, in your face attitude and a smile that drew in women, or men. Sometimes he was a selfless hero putting himself on the frontline so that others didn’t need to.  
  
A hand moved in front of Bob's face rapidly making gestures to his left. “Wait, wait! It’s a left right here."

  
Bob slapped the hand blocking his vision. Most of the time, Tony Stark was still annoyingly similar to a hyper active brat, and not the adult he could be. "Can't ya just tell me where to go?" He turned left on fifth, thankful that there was no traffic this time of night.” It’s not that hard at all ya know.”

Tony rolled his eyes and shook his hand in mock hurt. "Why can't you drive something decent With a gps? Or board computer. “Soon enough his attention was trailed off to something else he noticed, as he poked the concerning device with curious interest. “ I can’t believe this thing still plays cassettes" Pepper had hired Bob and although Tony didn’t know what the older man got paid it was sure as hell enough for at least a small BMW business car.  This atrocity smelled like a sweaty, grease stained, sugar addict was its previous owner, in retrospect it probably was true.

Expensive stores with vague but stylish window displays flashed by as they drove. "We're here, park the car somewhere close by" Happy always found a spot, so  it couldn't be that hard, especially considering the hour of night.

Bob refused to believe his ears. “This is Soho you moron!" He simply received a blank unimpressed stare back. "Ya don't have a clue what parking costs here do ya? I can’t just park here." An hour parking here would be a month’s wage in Bangladesh, if not more.

"Yuppie" Bob muttered under his breath.

Tony stepped out the car and put on his shades. “I’m sorry; i can't hear you over the sound of my awesome." Or pretend awesome, because he felt ridiculous wearing a hospital dress, slippers and Ray ban's. However if somebody could pull it off and start a new trend it would most definitely be him.

There was no front or visible store name, nothing giving price what the pristine, creamy white building was but a small polished copper nameplate. "Come on Bob, you can bill the ticket to me if you get one." Car parked crookedly the bold man hurriedly crossed the street. The intercom buzzed and Tony pushed the door in, one of the many benefits of being famous and rich was that everything opened for you at any given time, day or night.

Giving good tips also helped. And let it be known that Tony Stark was a very generous man.

They weren't even half way the hall when a large, opulent door slid open and an immaculately dressed man greeted them. “Tony! _Darling_ it's always nice to see you.” Slow but gracefully the man turned to bob. “And you are?"

"Euhhh, Bob pleased to meet ya." He held out his hand, expecting to be greeted with another handshake. Instead both he and Stark received an air kiss on each side of the cheek.

The engineer appeared used to this and was already making his way inside. “Jacques, let’s get this party on the road. I don't have all night."  It was a clothing store, one that would glare at you with malicious intent if it was capable, Store was such a mediocre name after all. A boutique, filled with tailored suits in all imaginable variations ranging from classic attire, to as flamboyant as the store's owner.

Jacques gave Stark's hospital dress a disgusted glance. "You're right you do need my help urgently. I have a suitable selection ready for you right here." He stared in contemplation at the casted leg."Hmmmm... I would have to adjust the trousers, this simply won't do…"

Tony didn't need to browse; he was already eyeing a deep black suit paired with a golden tie. “Bob here also needs a set. Nothing extravagant, just simple and clean. “Further inspection proved it to be a very dark midnight blue instead a colour that instantly reminded him of Loki.” I'm taking this one."

Bob froze in his footsteps. “What! I don't need a suit. I've got one from Prato men’s fine wear, wasn’t even a hundred bucks." He could feel Jacques prying eyes measuring him from a distance, before he was pushed into a mahogany wood stall with velvet curtains was a sincere while the store’s owner said. “Oh you _poor_ thing..."

When Bob emerged he had to admit the suit he wore felt more comfortable compared to the one he had. His arm movement wasn't obstructed and the legs were short enough. Bob drowned in his own; it was hard finding pants if you were short and stocky. From the adjoined room Bob heard the rhythmic ticking of a sewing machine, soft melodic music and a female voice asking politely to sit still. Naturally he expected to see a woman adjusting Starks pants while the man in question patiently waited.

Well he was wrong about that.

Very wrong.

Jacques himself was busy on the sewing machine with a pure look of concentration, pins in his mouth and softly humming to the tune of a classical music piece. The tailor had disappeared in his own world, as if the others in the room didn't exist. All in all, Bob thought, he was doing a good job ignoring Stark.

Bob wished he could say the same.

Stark had a phone pressed to his ear and was charmingly smiling as he chatted away with charismatic persuasion. In front of him a young women was trying to apply foundation on his face in order to cover the remaining bruises. Her efforts were valiant but in vain, the engineer used his hands, arms, expression and whole body to talk. His call ended with a "Yeah, thanks, bye” and a lewd wink that made the make-up artist blush cherry red.

Deprived of his sleep Bob was growing more ticked off by the minute. “Don’t you have the decency to wear pants like a normal human being?" Locke had acted like a spoiled Prince without any emotional intelligence whatsoever. Yet everything had been a lot easier than this overgrown kindergartener.

Tony saw how red Bob was turning. “Easy there." He said lowering his hands slowly up and down in a calming manner. “There isn't enough New York for two green raging behemoths.”

The constant tacking of a sewing machine stopped and Jacques handed Tony his newly adjusted pant for fitting. “I can't believe you made me cut those perfects pants. And Velcro ughh..."

Tony eyed the garment and tried it on “perfect fit, Velcro solves everything." Well nearly perfect anyway, the tailor here worked wonders if you were willing to pay the price.

Jacques visibly shivered at the comment. “How crude. I much preferred to dress that lovely new assistant of yours. Now that was a man with refined taste darling, and quite the looker to." He drew in a deep breath and sighed. “Shame he didn't want to try on..."

Tony snapped his fingers in front of the tailors face." Hey! That's my assistant you're daydreaming about." Shouted Tony instinctively, surprised by his own words he snapped shut. It only lasted a moment but the knowing leer the tailor gave, told Tony his jealous spat had betrayed him.

Jacques was very amused by this new discovery. “Interesting..." In his hands was a leather bound booklet, well used by the look of it. After scribbling a few notes Jacques said." I shall send the receipt to the usual address." With a shark like smile he added." Let your _lovely_ assistant take care of it."

They were out of the exclusive store and back into the car before Bob could reject this ridiculously overprized suit. Thoughtfully he watched Stark fumble to find a comfortable enough position. Once seated Stark looked out the window and impatiently tapped his fingers on his knee.

Bob knew he couldn't have misinterpreted the conversation; the defensive shout had been too fast for that. If he hadn't seen the surprised look of a dead fish on Starks face he'd had a hard time believing it. That had been a small but genuine outburst of jealousy.

Their drive to airport was uneventful and silent. Bob didn't know what to say for the moment, or rather said he was saving it for later. Stark was busy talking again, this while he made wide exaggerating gestures to show the route. It wasn't long before Bob drove to see a private hanger and turned as white as a sheet. “Please tell me i don't need to go on that thing. “A small black aircraft waiting outside, it looked like the lovechild from the chopper in Airwolf and the Delorian.

Tony rounded up his conversation on the phone and grinned happily. “Where is your sense of adventure Bob! The open skies for the taking, damsels in distress and one-eyed pirates." One of these day's he would give Fury a black leather pirate hat to match his coat. He lifted his sunglasses and gave an affirmative nod to the crew that got her ready. “Well Bob, come on, she doesn't bite you know.” There wasn't anything like her in the world; literally, he'd designed her from scratch for those special occasions you needed to travel to places your private jet couldn’t take you.

Tony had dubbed her the Humming bird.

"I do really need you to get on board. It's all part of my plan." Demanded Tony casually shoving Bob towards the Hummingbird. “I mean scheme, he'd like that better."  Scheme, list a trick they all these words had that certain feel of Loki, while plan just sounded dreadfully ordinary. Steve would have a solid trustworthy plan, Loki would have a devilish scheme.

Before bob boarded the aircraft he managed to say one thing before the door shut. “ Prepare for the shovel speech of your lifetime Stark.”

 

* * *

 

 

“Stark knows." she stated softly.

Clint nearly spewed his drink out. "What the? How the hell does he know." Very carefully, and out of Natasha’s reach he asked. “You didn’t get caught did you?"

The glare she gave him could have made a grown man shit his pants. "No seriously, what the hell happened."

"I'd like to know that as well." Said Steve entering the common room with Bruce in tow Earlier this day he’d paid Fury a visit, they kept him off bay, trying to convince him that the commander wasn’t there. When he finally did see fury the man was as misleading as always, although he did mention that if Steve could prove Loki had even a speck of innocence in him during the attacks on New York he’d “gladly” keep his hands off.

Natasha kept an eye on Clint. “I used one of his distorters to reroute a fake video feed." As if it was an apology Clint held out a glass of water. She accepted it and took a sip before she continued her story. “I believe Starks own paranoia is to blame, the device sent out a signal. he tapped into their system that way."

Clint groaned and perched on the kitchen counter, which had become _his_ spot during any meeting. “Doesn’t he ever sleep like a normal human being."

Steve looked at Hawkeye sternly. “It’s not like i have the same sleeping pattern as before the serum. None of us are normal people." He needed what, about four hours of rest. It wasn't as if he could sleep longer than that, even if he wanted to. Especially on nights like this, lying in bed alone overthinking things.

"Natasha, Clint, get the quinjet ready for take-off." He fiddled a bit with what Tony called a smartphone, build sturdy enough to withstand clumsy super soldiers. Steve had quickly become used to the small device, grateful that Jarvis was connected to it. “Jarvis can you connect me to Dr Foster please."

"Certainly sir Rogers."  Answered the A.I. in an almost pleased way.

Steve saw his screen emitting a light blue and gently tapped the dice twice. “Dr Foster? Is Thor there I’d like to speak to him.

“Who the hell is this? How did you get this number" Pried the demanding, impolite voice of a young woman.

Steve didn't want to dally and came straight to the point." Captain Rogers, i need Thor on..."  A loud enthusiastic squeal, hurtful to the ear, made him pull away the phone in surprise.

Carefully he tried again, hoping that the girl’s sudden enthusiasm had subsided. “Hello? Who is this?" He'd know dames could swoon over him; it wasn't any different in the forties. Lord knows he'd caught the dancers from the USA  show ogling him several times, one time a lady went even as  far to pull him down for a straightforward rough kiss. Explaining it to Peggy was one of the worst things he ever had to do. Steve had been nervous, sweaty and felt a dire need to continuously apologize.

Before he could dwell on the thought the girl rambled on. “Oh my god it's Captain America himself on the phone. I'm Darcy by the way, Jane's assistant." Just when Steve figured he was talking to a normal enthusiastic fan Darcy yelled."JANEeeeee Captain tight-ass is calling your boyfriend. I’m putting him on the speaker."

Somewhere in the distance Steve heard, what he assumed to be, Jane's voice shouting a desperate "Darcy no."

In a deeper, flirtatious voice Darcy continued her one-sided conversation." Hey, how you doing? "

Steve knew that it was a pop-culture reference, he'd heard, and seen Tony use it before often combined with a nod or wink. So he was well aware, even without seeing Darcy that she was wiggling her eyebrows. “I'd be doing a lot better if i could speak to Thor."

" Nnnngh..." Darcy groaned. “Polite and sassy you're a keeper."

"Darcy!"

Somewhere in the background Steve heard a small struggle over the phone combined with a nagging soft "Nooooo." Within seconds however he recognised the familiar booming voice of the thunderer. “I see you have been victorious my Jane, i expected no less. How do you fair Captain of America?"

_Finally_ Steve felt for Jane, who he heard discussing with her assistant in the distance. “I’m doing well Thor, but we need you here if you can make it. We found Loki, i know that you're not allowed to do anything to directly aid him by law." Which Steve still found a ridiculous idea. Thor still cared for his younger brother, and if something dire happened he couldn't do anything but let it. Steve found it unusually cruel. “However I’d still like you there with us. We're leaving now for the hellicarrier to tell Fury to let him go."

“I will meet you there my shieldbrother! You have my gratitude for helping him, Loki did no harm this time." Thor and his hammer had taken off. Leaving behind the sound of a storming crack in the air, and rush of whirling wind.  
  
If fury wanted only a grain of evidence, then Steve would gladly shove it under his nose. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always thank you for the patience guys!  
> Next chapter we'll have the "great" escape, it's going to be a long one so i'm working my way through it slowly.
> 
> Feel free to leave some food for the soul( aka reviews)
> 
> And yes random OC because i love flamboyant Jacques.


	35. chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: i do not own marvel.  
> I do however own a car.
> 
> This chapter is unbeta'd.  
> And short, i felt as if this piece didn't fit into the whole big next chapter so i made a different chapter for it even if it's small.
> 
> I know it has been long since anybody here has heard of me.  
> However i've had my reasons, and health always comes before hobby.  
> Thank you readers for your patience.
> 
> Appologies for my absence.

Steve was amused by the reaction of most shield agents gave them. The whole team, with the exception of Tony who, Steve guessed, would arrive any moment now with the Hummingbird. They headed towards the deck in a straight, no- nonsense pace, fully ready and capable to pressure Fury into Loki's release. And nobody dared to stop him, gone was that shy blond boy called Steve, replaced by a stern faced man that only needed to look at a soldier or shield agent for them to move.  
  
Right now they weren't an eclectic group if friends, Clint, Natasha, Bruce, those people didn't exist, not right now. The Avengers, a team, each one genuinely respected , sometimes even feared, for their accomplishments. Nobody would stop them now, and if Steve was right half of them shared the same opinion as him.   
  
The doors to the hellicariers deck slid open, revealing the busy epicenter, agents hastily scurrying away to the sided to make way. "Fury. I'm going to ask once, politely to set Loki free." To his right somebody in uniform cast a surprised open- eyed look at his statement, confirming Steve's believe that most of the staff wasn't unformed if this.   
  
Fury however didn't even turn to face him. " He is a war criminal Captain, he is to remain in detention at all times."   
  
Steve looked outside at the darkening sky while he walked to stand beside Fury. “There is more than meets the eye." Behind him Clint tried to stifle a snort at the comment. “Something you refuse to acknowledge."   
  
Fury had his hands across his back, keeping a straight authorities posture as he said. “Even if there where softening circumstances, he's still a danger to us."   
  
Steve noted and stared straight at Fury in righteous anger. “No, he is not. " Steve grinded his teeth and clenched his jaw. “Innocent people lost their lives in the sewers, Tony nearly died because of your mistake to keep one of the kept Chitauri weapons to dissect and test . You kept at least one of knowing what it meant.”   
  
Shield’s commander stood still like a stone statue. “That matter was out of my hands, trust me i…”   
  
Bruce stepped forward, keeping himself valiantly calm.” How do you expect us to believe in a shield that doesn't protect?”   
  
For a moment it seemed as if fury was contemplating what to say next. His stance was still as straight as a rob, there was however a hint of regret in the lines of his face. “Sometimes sacrifices are needed.”   
  
One of the agents’s turned their head. "Sir! The hummingbird has landed.”   
  
Soon a small escort of men brought in it’s passenger, Steve’s mouth almost dropped open. In fact the whole room looked slightly stunned with the exception of Natasha who was her usual stoic self and fury who looked ready to pop a vein. “ Bob?”   
  
The grin on bob’s face was wide and friendly, even if his current environment wasn’t exactly welcoming. “Hey Steve!” He felt out of his depth here, perhaps some of Macy’s Government conspiracy theories where right after all. He kind of missed that old semi-toothless had, one of the many beggars he’d known back in the days. Still he would not give this one-eyed pirate with a leather fetish stare him down. “ So I take it yer fury right?”   
  
Fury hadn’t calculated for this. He knew the hummingbird was heading for the hellicarrier, and he had fully expected somebody else a board. Of all the times Tony stark had to annoy him it had to be now. “Where is Stark?”   
  
Bob just shrugged; “Don’t ask me I’m just a decoy.”


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys know what i say, reviews are food for the soul.  
> And i'm hungry.
> 
> Sorry if it is a bit of a shortish chapter.  
> I hope the few scenes with action in them where ok, i'm horrible at writing actions/combative scenes.

Loki woke up with a sense of clarity, the murky drug induced cloud around him had dissipated. His dry throat was dry as sand and beckoning for cool water like it always did in the early mornings. Loki rose up from his bed carefully expecting another dizzy spell, instead his limbs functioned normally. The water he swallowed was fresh and...cold, even the cell lacked the damp heat of earlier. a cloying heat not unlike the sweltering steam bath's in Asgard, one of the many public places he favoured to ignore lest he was forced to socialise.  
  
Loki peered around watching carefully if anything had changed in his surroundings. He found none; instead he remembered parts of a discussion, flaming red hair and a look filled with pity. "Romanoff." His voice sounded broken, raw from shouting. She had understood enough of what he said in between the lines to undo whatever the bitter medicine did. Loki detested the aid with every fibre in his being, however as much as he wanted to wish her a slow torturous undoing. He was unable to do so, for in her pity The Black Widow had given him the means to escape. No trickster would be foolish enough to let such a golden opportunity go to waste.  
  
Whoever monitored the cameras and temperature was seeing either old or repeated footage in a loop. Otherwise a barrage of field agents would have rushed in already shouting for him to "hold his hands in the air" while they held him at gunpoint. Only the cage remained to taunt him, thick solid bars meant to hold a beast. Loki wasn't anywhere near strong enough to bend them. Oh , but he could break them now ,his scruffy beard did nothing to hide the amused wide grin.  
  
The air around him was rich with moisture, Loki licked his lips and tasted traces of salt. wherever they held him he was close to the harbour, with any luck he was still in New York as well. Salt water might be a bit harder to temper, yet with the sub-zero temperatures of his nature Loki was sure he could temper it. With a swift fluent motion Loki tore the blanket off him and dunked it in the bucket, water soaked into the fibres, making it heavy and wet. This time Loki welcomed his inherent power, embracing it wholeheartedly and pushing aside any feeling of disgust. With a fast well trained motion Loki pulled the wet cloth backwards twisting it with a flick in his wrist. He wielded the blanket like a whip, snapping it, curling it around the metal bars above his head. Loki chose to freeze it, harden it with cold enough to bind, enough to twist and break. All metals had their weak points, even if they suspected it could withstand the hulk. It could not withstand a frost giant with a single focal point.  
  
Feeling the bars groan and crack under his focus, lighted a wonderfully feeling of euphoria inside Loki. With a final surge of cold, he tore a hole in the metal sky above him, creating his very own small portal to freedom. With the towel in place as leverage he pulled himself up, grabbed the bars and hoisted himself out. He still felt the wound caused by Barton's arrow, yet it was as if it had been driven to the background of his consciousness, just a small ache to worry about later.  
  
Loki absorbed his surroundings, trying to find either the fastest or quietest way out of the compound. With a sharp creak a metal door opened not far from him on the far right, taking the choice away from him as Loki his in the shadows. Two sets of footsteps entered, one self-secure and steady. The other shuffling, lazy, a younger person perhaps.  
  
"I can't believe i drew the short straw. Now I'm stuck here with you. I mean, it's not like this bastard is going to jump up and surprise us."  
  
Loki settled for incompetent, clearly one of them was foolish enough to underestimate him. Having guards like this almost felt like a personal insult. S.H.I.E.L.D. would definitely regret hiring such bumbling idiots.  
  
"Shut-up Cleveland and do your job." Grounded the other in annoyance. " Just be grateful your shift is over soon. After this you can go back to playing Galaga for all i care." The other man sounded more alert and experienced, not older but hardened by battle.  
  
"I swear it was just one time! Christ i can't believe Tony Stark caught me of all people." Sighed Cleveland wearily.  
  
"Count yourself lucky it wasn't the director." Close by the agent swiped a card or such, a loud beep confirming his clearance .almost leaving an echo in the room. "Did you bring your pass?"  
  
With the soft click of a button something unlocked at Loki's right side." Got them it here Barney buddy."  
  
"I am not your buddy Cleveland." Noted the stricter agent while he pressed his right hand on the last digital lock. The reader scanned his fingerprints, flashing a green ok signal when they proved positive.  
  
"Fuck its chilly here." Mumbled Cleveland under his breath  
  
"Wait, What?"  
  
"I said it's fucking cold down here. And that creepy fucker down here giving me the..."  
  
"Get out of there now!"Yelled the older one with an alert voice.  
  
Loki smiled viciously at the shocking look of fear and realisation on his opponents face. "I will make you regret that insult."

"Wha..."

Loki knew he had to make due with this small opening in their defence to create advantage, before the elder agent snapped to full attention. Using the other man in front of him as a step stone Loki leaped and struck fast. hit foot hit Cleveland in the chest and shoulder. Another well-aimed punch knocked him out cold, literally. Where loki had struck him frostbite was numbing the skin, perhaps in the future he should hold his powers back a little. Casualties where something he would prefer to avoid for now, lest he end up in a similar situation again. In front of him the older agent had released the safety of his gun.

" Well now, i had you pegged as the smart one." Loki rose slowly, his menacing stare focused on the remaining shield agent. " How utterly disappointing." The gun kept a steady aim, pin pointing the centre of his chest. However you could see the desperation on that aged face, the fear of facing something unknown, powerful and inhuman. Slowly Loki stepped forward,like a predator stalking its prey. "Fury didn't tell you? What kind of monster i truly am." Ice crackled between his fingers, forming a small but razor sharp pin likewise pointing to the agent's vitals. "You poor sod, i might be unarmed but nowhere near defenceless."

loki revelled in the power he held over the other, who's eyes had shot a frightening, doubtful glance at Loki's ice shard. Meanwhile Loki had noticed a pale band around the man's finger, absent of the ring he normally carried. A family, loved ones to return to, a reason for the agent to stay alive, an opportunity for both of them to get what they wanted. Loki had no defence against a well-aimed bullet in close range, and just like this man he wanted to return unscathed from this dance."I'm going to apply to your reason here, your will to return home alive and well. Oh, don't bother looking surprised, i know a great deal of things. How old is your youngest again?" It was a lucky guess, with at least half the country wishing for such meaningless things as a house, dog and at least two children this one couldn't be the exception.

Loki forced the condense in the air to formulate a second spike. It took all his concentration to make it solid, in time, with practice; this was a skill worthy to be perfected. It negated the use to carry throwing daggers, making his form lighter and more manoeuvrable. However for now, Loki, could not form more than these two. "So i kindly suggest to unarm yourself and stand any wise man would." Loki continued advancing still, his stride self-secure and steady.

"What...what proof do I have you'll not kill me anyway." Nearly stuttered the remaining shield agent.

A devious smile curved Loki's mouth. "I shall give you my word, and I always keep it."The ex-god knew his deal would be accepted, Barney's stance was already wavering.

Carefully the man sank through his knees, bringing his weapon down to the ground. With a soft kick slid away over the cement floor. "There now g...get rid of those things." Stuttered Barney, barely maintaining his earlier composure.

Loki stepped forward. " That wasn't in our deal now, was it? And it's been such a long time since i have played." The ice crusted on the skin of his fist, covering it like a pale white veined glove. His foot slid forward on the floor, a movement meant to draw an opponent's attention.

As expected the agents military training stepped in blocking the mock kick." I should have known better then to trust the words of a liar!"

Loki made one step backwards, evading the blind, angry punch thrown at him. With one hand he took hold of the agent's wrist and pulled, making use of the strike to negate the others balance."tsssk, I do not have the time or the patience to play with the likes of you." Two precise placed hits in rapid succession, one beneath the armpit, another in the back of the neck, and Loki felt the man falling down to to the floor unconscious.

Simultaneously an excruciatingly loud alarm stared blaring in the room. Loki's initial reaction was panic, yet the better part of his brain urged him to search the body of the knocked out shield agent. Soon enough Loki saw the small device hanging on the ... belt, a panic button concealed from vision behind a large pocket containing a Rather old fashioned walkie talkie. Loki pushed the small red button in, midguardians often made simple "accidental" mistakes; it would not be out of the question that a second press would disengage the alarm. Loki rubbed his temples and took the communication device, expecting it to go of any second now. As if on command the lights flickered. " ...What is the si...tion? ...I repeat,...give... Situation." The voice was faint but had a definitive authority to it, feminine, a higher placed officer perhaps most likely somebody close to Fury." ...Sending.. fo...now."

Every muscle in his body snapped to attention, listening to impulses sent by the lizard part if his brain. Run, hide, survive, a desperate pushing chorus sung throughout his whole body. Loki grabbed the gun on the floor, and obeyed the impulse without a second thought, sprinting towards the exit before the entire building was bolted shut in lock-down.

Running as if the wind was beneath his feet he made it through. Doors behind him closed automatic locking his old abode. Loki could hear see his environment now, a older part of the harbour, away from people, slightly sinister, perfect for a S.H.I.E.L.D. or any other company with rather grey morals. Rapid footsteps and a loud yell made him know of the guards closing in on his position. Listening carefully he could decipher several agents. Two following his trail closely, four advancing from the sides between the crate's kept in the dock.. So the ex-god made good use of his adrenaline keeping a steady, desperate sprint towards the end, ignoring the returning throb in his arm and the ache in his stiff legs. He was out of breath and the sting in his side was his human constitution protesting the abuse it took.

Not that Loki cared.

Not with the taste of cool salty air on his tongue, a rising sun and bright white clouds framing New York's harbour. Loki knew was well aware that the foamy waters around the city contained every kind of filth known to man, a cesspool of waste with a city built on top of it. Yet this instant it was his ticket out of here, mucky brown watered down freedom in the best case, a weapon in the worst.

Loki counted heads, two agents, still closing in behind him but far enough to not be a hassle. Three... he only counted three on his sides, the fourth had slipped between the maze of debris and piled pallets on the right. In this state he couldn't assess the situation as clearly, he would just have to improvise at the right moment and avoid direct Combat.

_Speak of the devil._

In front of him a shield agent appeared from behind a container, blocking the way with an aggressive stance and a Taser or something alike in his right hand. "Stop! Drop all your weapons and put your hands on your head."

_Who do these people think i am, as if i would listen to these measly commands like a common thief._

The black- clothed agent shouted a repeat. " Stand down! Hands behind your back and drop your weapons."

Loki smiled maliciously. He does make a valid point, it might be profitable to drop my arms. Without stopping his advance, Loki bend forward and placed his weapons on the ground as suggested. The thin layer of salt water under his fingers froze slower than Loki liked but fast enough to cover the area beneath the both of them. His opponent's footing started to slip, slipping past seemed almost to easy. Loki ducked and rolled to evade the falling agent, or rather slid past him on the smooth surface of the ice without losing speed. Like a trained athlete he flicked his body, found steady ground under his feet and used the momentum to launch himself forward leaving his opponent struggling to get-up.

The trouble began when he made his first step forward. Humans where prone to loose their mind and make irrational decisions, never listening to commands or subjugating themselves to those that were better. Humans couldn't help to ignore an order to capture if their brain decided to send out a red flag signalling danger.

The first bullet flew right past his neck, nicking the locks of hair tucked behind his ears. Loki's next step faltered and he struggled to remain upright on the unsteady gravel beneath his feet. His enemies gained gained ground unhindered by an exhausted body, while Loki struggled to keep his relentless pace.

The second shot would have been a direct hit, if not for his misstep. Instead it had grazed the soft skin and flesh of his side leaving an angry red trail just above his hip. Loki winched in pain and fell on one knee, he instinctively cupped the wound with the palm of his hand. The cold emitted by the flat surface of his hand was soothing, and the only up-side in his current predicament.

From behind Loki heard the click of a gun, slowly, without taking pulling his hand away, he turned. " I don't suppose any of you are carrying band aid's."

"Put your hands behind your head." Said the closet anonymous shield agent maintaining a careful distance while the others caught up.

Loki had frozen the wound momentarily stopping the bleeding and preventing any swelling or infection to occur. "No bandages? Figures." His other hand rested in the wet dirt next to his knee, ready to preform one of the more older tricks, and fowler, combat tricks. Not that Loki had ever cared about such a thing as honour in a fight where your life was threatened. Only the very brave and stupid, hailed honour above death and freedom. With just a few feet left between him and the water, Loki was not going to let such a foolish thing as "honourable" Asgardian upbringing instruct him otherwise.

He summoned his last reserves and fisted a hand full of gravel and sand, hardening it with frost to form a solid chunck of rock before he hurled it away. The agent was struck right above the eyes and dropped the gun in favor of clutching the sides of his head. Not giving the others the chance or satisfaction to aim and shoot next, Loki sprinted the last few feet to the edge of the dock. Filthy green slime stained the surface of the wall sloping down, a rancid smell of rot rose from the water below that reminded him to much of the sewers. However without fretting or reluctance, Loki jumped from the edge like an expert diver.

Loki broke the surface of the water with closed eyes and a deep breath if air in his lungs. His dive took him several feet deep before Loki unfolded his arms in a schooled stroke, kicked his legs behind him and swam. He'd always been a better swimmer then Thor, his schooling in that aspect of sports definitely paid off now that he rapidly had to create distance. Loki had expected to be bothered by the cold of deep water, instead it felt not quite unpleasant against his cerulean skin. Above him he heard the men shout vague obscenities at their loss.

Beneath him Loki felt a pull;Seas and rivers were treacherous and fickle, prone to drag you to their depths if you failed. Reacting accordingly. Loki let his body strafe to the left, avoiding a dreaded current, and started swimming towards the surface. Now that he was out of direct reach, Loki wanted a breath of fresh air. Stretching out his arm hs fingers almost brushed the surface, when something small but heavy drilled itself into the water next to him. Loki felt the hostile object circle around his body, finding grip and enclosing around his wrists. It's pressing weight dragging him back down into the darkness below. To make it worse something metallic and rigid was coiling up his neck, and as much as Loki tried to tear it off, the binding didn't stop its relentless advance. Panicking he opened his mouth in a silent shout, accidently gulping in a sweep of salt, bitter body convulsed as it tried to hurl out water where air belonged.

Loki looked longingly towards a surface he could no longer reach, while the thing dragged him into deeper the debts of hell.


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> disclaimer: do not own marvel or these wonderful characters.  
> I am however pondering if i should ask my boyfriend to marry me.
> 
> Enjoy the update!

Tony was tucking a small yet practical interactive earpiece behind his right ear, when the screen of his tablet flashed a bright white. Instantaneously a small glowing dot appeared on screen, making Tony anxious with anticipation and a hint of fear. Fumbling with the earpiece Tony hurriedly said." Jarvis, location and stats now!" Send her in as soon as you got a lock on our target."

"Sir i advise you to try and calm down." Jarvis suggested. Althought, for those that knew the A.I. , it was more a polite command then simple advice. " Or as Mr Barton once told me, i would prefer it if you would take a "chill pill" sir."

A gridded map appeared over the marked target, trying to get an accurate position of Loki's current location."I am attempting to get a decent read of Loki's whereabouts." The grid zoomed in again making the area more clear, several large and old appearing buildings surrounded by a labyrinth of small streets. Water at every end, if not for one street connecting it to the rest of New York's harbour it would be a small isolated island. "It appears S.H.I.E.L.D. Was holding him in one of their old Hulk bunkers."

For a moment Tony felt a flush of rage was over him. His friendship with Bruce was watertight, they were good friends, colleagues and they scientificly understood each other. He was well aware of the characteristics of Bruce's other side, and all the trouble that accompanied in trying to calm the green giant. Every plot and ploy made to lock away his friend from daylight still struck a wrong nerve. thank god Bruce was relatively safe with the Avengers, nobody, not even that damned general Ross would dare to strike out now.

Glad that at least one of the people he cared about was o, good hands, Tony, put all his efforts and concentration back to the important task at hand. Making sure Loki was back where he belonged, with the extra bonus of making Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. Look like a fool. " Work your magic Jarvis, i need him here in...". Tony checked the time and smiled like a sly fox. " Forty seven minutes and twenty tree seconded, we wouldn't want to miss out showtime now would we!"

" Sir i have locked onto our target, releasing project 2,01. estimated time for projects arrival is approximately seventy seconds."

" Oh, come one Jarvis can't you for once use the name i choose." Tony noted in mock hurt. " You know the much cooler and appropriate name."

Jarvis continued his countdown ignoring the engineers rambling, his dislike for the name had already been discussed. His creator refusing to budge, repelling any suggestion Jarvis made. Yet the a.i. would have his moment yet, after all he was 99.6% positive that Loki would detest it as much if not more. " Fifty seconds, Target seems to be escaping on his own. Loki has taken down two men, others hostile agents are approaching now."

Tony was glued to his tablet, following the course of his gift for Loki and yelling to the screen" Damnit go faster!" He watched the blue dot making his way down an old run down dock. Six others nearby increasing in speed and distance, one of them perilously close. "Loki..."

"Twenty Sir."

His body grew tense when the dot stopped it's movement . Even his heart felt like it dropped several miles in free fall, draining all the colour from his tense face.  _No, no, no ,not now...Loki please!_  Suddenly as if his thought were heard by the other, and , Loki advanced again with renewed vigour . Tony who sat at the edge of his chair, finally felt like he could breathe again." Jesus..."

" Ten Sir."With that the glowing dot leaped forward straight into, according to the map, water.

And with that everything went to hell again."Fuck Jarvis can you retreat his in the water!" They didn't take this into account, what would the effect be. Would Loki even know it was him trying to help in this situation? Or would the ex-god panic,for that matter how did water react to a frost giant?. what about air!. S _hit,shit...shit. There's to many unknown variables._

"Sorry Sir, Start-up procedure is already in motion, it is out of our hands now." Jarvis calmly informed him with a hint of honest regret in his voice.

Tony hated standing by idle, something he was forced to do right now. Clenching his first by his side he counted down the remaining seconds in his head.

"Five Sir."

_I never took into account the transformation underwater, i wish i had more time..._

"Four."

_The weight will drag him down._

"Three.

_Fuck i hope he took a good breath of air._

"Two, one..."

Tony heart was a racing track hosting the formula one championship of red blood cells, he could almost feel it beating out of his chest." Jarvis get him out of the water pronto! check his vitals and get him out of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s reach Now!" Waiting for a reaction Tony repeated the same words over again in again, hoping they would be heard." Loki can you hear me?"

* * *

Loki expected to drift off into unconsciousness amidst the dark muddy water. His need for air was great and he was swiftly approaching his thing around him was still expanding, even now he felt it slide around his waist. Every attempt at movement just caused him to sink deeper i,to the water. It felt as if a snake was trying to strangle him, something he'd unfortunately experienced once. His dislike for snakes was great still. Light-headedness almost caused him to black-out, however Loki kept clinging onto life. Something deep down told him it wasn't over yet.

Static noise seemed to be coming from behind his head, cracking and wiring incoherently. Along his spine something shifted and snapped into place with an audible snap. It could either be his end or...Before Loki had time to ponder these things he was propelled forward. No longer was sound just a rumble.

"Loki, Loki can you hear me."

Loki would have been joyed to hear Anthony's voice again, if it wasn't for his lack of air. each of his words came out as " Grbllllhmmmff." In, what he suspected, was a helmet filled with water.

"Initiation of valve system in progress."

It took a while before the trickster recognised Jarvis's voice, busy as he was breathing the air flowing in. "Breathing is definitely not boring." He exclaimed to nobody in particular, around him the world flickered alive, returning his vision and several other options."Jarvis?"

"It is good to have you back Sir." Came the honest and warm reply.

From another speaker he heard Anthony's relieved voice tremble."Thank god you're ok."

Loki didn't expect the surge of emotion running through him, a confusing mix of of happiness,lassitude and the urge to strangle Anthony."You know I..." He coughed, up some water, vile after taste lingering in his mouth as he did. Still some of his usual imperious spirit resurfaced. " I had this one."

The change in Anthony's voice was instantly, back to they way it normally was. Back to the way they both knew how to act."Yeah i noticed that, great going by the way. I'm sure S.H.I.E.L.D. would  **not**  have fished you out of the water. Seeing as you are completely  **not**  exhausted, at all.."

Loki let out a haughty laugh. "So claims the king of wise decisions." the unknown armor around Loki shifted and adjusted it's weight. "Anthony..." He said displeased. " What is this contraption yours attempting to do?"

Situation aside, Tony, used one of his self-proclaimed " _greatest charms_ ". Often, if not always used during inappropriate times. "Kinky. Well currently it's not doing much, but i could pimp it with some extra options if you'd..."

"Sirs again i feel obliged to interrupt, there is no time for quarrel."Jarvis told them, much like a mother scolding her children. Tony stark might have been his creator, or father, as some of the other less intelligent bots called him. Yet Jarvis found himself reminding the man of his goals constantly.

"Yeah, yeah i know you're right" Tony mopped. "Jarvis initiate cloaking device and set course for my current location, get him here safely."

Loki felt the thrusters under his feet reacting, adjusting speed and direction when needed. A very strange sensation indeed. Logically he knew he was safe inside the suit, however the lack of control vexed him immensely. The trust he currently held in Stark, was the sole reason Loki wasn't objecting to this way of transport. It felt strange but comforting, to be able to confide in another person this much. Especially for one as fond of control as Loki."Care to tell me where i am going?" He asked both curious and, even if he was unwilling to admit it, just to hear the other's voice.

"I have found the perfect way to keep you out of Fury's claws, while being a pain in the ass at the same time." Tony laughed softly. "You'll love it."

Loki had to admit that Anthony's enthusiasm was tending to be infectious, a smile almost graced his grim features."Thwarting the plan of our enemies while enjoying their angry scowls. I am positive to find some enjoyment in that, yes... Care to illuminate some of it."

"Ha, not a change your highness. You'll just have to wait and see." Said Tony casually, well aware that Loki would be mildly to severely irritated with some other aspects of his " _nefarious plan_ ".

"Very well,I'll give this idea of your a change." Finally the strange and new feeling of the suit settled itself. Loki stretched as far as he could before relaxing his muscles. testing how the armor fitted and moved around him. Coming to the conclusion that it actually felt quite comfortable, to comfortable really. Raised one question."Is this one of your suits?"

After a while Tony answered."I did make it, but no it isn't mine."

Loki looked at the lights flashing up in front of him, indicating velocity, weight and temperature, in search of more answers. Slowly raising his hand in front of the visor he could see his it partly covered in shining black metal...No, not just moving the sun's reflection caused a hue of green,blue and purple to appear. Much like the shell of a beetle it gleamed with complex colours. Surprised by this beautiful discovery Loki whispered softly"Anthony..."

The whole suit wasn't visible from this viewpoint, however Loki knew the amount of time and passion one spent on such a project. The same goes for the ungodly work hours, blood,sweat and tears that went into its creation. Anthony might not be a poet or bard, yet Loki resonised the suit for it truly was.

A ballad, written for him.

_The fool really loves me._

Even the idea itself was foreign,nobody had ever done such a thing for him. Not without bargaining for something of equal value in return. Usually items or actions Loki wasn't willing to give, or came at too great a cost. Not the he always had a choice in the matter, sometimes necessity or faith drove him to make ill-favoured deals. However Anthony asked for nothing in return, instead taking on the greater risk of placing honest trust in a former enemy.

His own heart remained cold towards most beings here, however his soul chose to ignite a burning fire that could even melt the coldest of winters. Denying he cared wouldn't stop the flame, Loki didn't even know if he still wanted to renounce it. The way humans...No, the way he felt was so tempting.

Slowly Loki let go of his powers, settling in his human skin once more. Although he got wounded during his escape , it only scratched the surface of his skin. S.H.I.E.L.D. had, even thought they imprisoned him, taken care of his earlier graver injuries. Not that this meant he was safe, it wasn't over yet. Out there Chitauri scavengers still roamed, another invasion was incoming even if earth's populace remained blissfully ignorant.

This time he would utterly obliterate them, they would not get a second change to harm Anthony.

Filled with renewed resolve, and something else Loki wasn't ready to face yet, he said." We have much to discuss when i get back... home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are soulfood!  
> And i am hungry.
> 
> So any ideas yet an what Tony named the Armor? And of course what name Loki would pick for it?  
> Person who guessed corectly what loki will name it get's to be a character in the next chapter :p


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter un-betad  
> so if you see big mistakes feel free to poke me, after i had my nap.

 

Hawkeye's attention started drifting roughly five minutes after S.H.I.E.L.D’s central alarm went off. Loki had “mysteriously” managed to bypass their security measures, broken out of his cell and made a run for it. Agent Hill had immediately dispatched the nearest patrol of footmen to collect their dangerous fugitive. Fury, well, Fury did justice to his name, he looked ready to explode any second now. In fact the only reason Clint was paying fifteen percent attention was to see that inevitable blast, curious if it would leave a crater in the hellicarrier.

Naturally Loki had managed to escape, an event that didn’t manage to surprise most. That he did it by diving in New york harbour was something else though. Hawkeye wondered if the crazy bastard had some unknown fetish for gross, slimy areas. First the freaking homeless pity party followed by sewage drains, and now the water? Tony had a serious problem if this was going to continue, just imagine the mess they would leave in the communal areas alone and...

_Please, please stop imagining this brain._

Fury and Steve where knees deep discussing Loki’s freedom, so far neither of them felt like giving up. Bob was wisely staying clear of the argument, knowing it was futile to try and step in between those two the moment Fury and Steve began. Instead the elder man was looking over the shoulder of a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who was sneakily watching a TV show.  Clint, bored as he was, stepped closer to listen in watching alongside Bob who was grinning like a loon when the next guest appeared. It was bound to be more interesting then Fury's and Steve's inevitable divorce anyway.

Sometimes life held great rewards for those that let their attention drift elsewhere.

And boy, was he lucky today.  


On screen a tall, skinny  man sat down in one of the available chairs. He was wearing clothing that was obviously a size to large, and he recently had a good shave which made it harder to reconise him. Soon however, Clint, was mimicking Bob's facial expression when he recognised one of the people they rescued from the sewers.

A picture perfect woman, in a stylish grey pants suit started his introduction for the audience. “Today we have several guests whose tragic lives almost ended prematurely. However the camaraderie and friendships they shared saved them all."

She then turned to her timid guest and sat down on the chair next to him. “Jack." They exchanged a friendly handshake, Jack clearly nervous but trying his best to keep calm in front of the camera’s. "I’m happy to meet you."

Jack straightened his slouched shoulders, placed his hand in his lap and turned his head. “Likewise happy to be here Renne Michaels ." It was evident that he wasn’t at all comfortable with his current position. However he had tried to dress-up and calm down for his TV appearance.

Softly Rachelle placed a hand on Jack's shoulder and gave him a comforting, sympathetic squeeze. “Now I know it isn't easy, but are you willing to share your incredible tale with us."

"Yeh. I.i..i mean yes Renne" Muttered the star-struck lad.

The show host kindly handed him a glass of water, which Jack gratefully took with a thankful nod. She cast a glance towards the audience , grabbing their attention. “There are tissues under your seats, I know I needed them when i heard Jack's story. So don’t hesitate if you need to dry a tear." Her attention went back to the man in question as soon as the glass was empty. "Take your time dear, please start at the beginning."

With a loud pained sigh, Jack, turned his head to face the audience and started his tale. “I’ve been homeless for years,  kinda making my way on the street. Other people looking down on ya, tried looking fer a job once but...yeah. Nobody wants us. We end up taking care of each other, even going as far to build something close to a normal community from the scraps you lot leave. I'm sure even now most of ye want to get rid of them places!"

Visibly shaking with held back anger. "Sorry... It still gets to me, moved too much around. Trading one improvised tent for the other. You lot don't know what dem stares ya give us do, or what cleaning-up a neighbourhood does to the shacks we call home. Normal peeps forget that we’re human as well.”  


At this point Bruce joined in, cleary having enough of the toxic atmosphere." Wait is that..."

Clint gave him a careful shove. "Shhhh" Hawkeye whispered. "I wanna know what Tony's up to, this is definitely his doing. And yeah it is one of those guys from the sewer."

Both of them tuned out Fury, in favour to watch the show unfold.  


"As always we get people from all kind of places." Jack told, fully emerged in his story." Nd Locke was no different. Em was brought in by Bob, who was sorts of our unofficial mayor. The guy was in a bad way you know, beaten up and thrown around, this nasty wound on his shoulder.  Dude had a fever burning so alf of what em said made no sense." Jack looked solemn now, remembering how the homeless where treated. Each of them had been in Locke’s position before. “If em didn't receive some elp soon he would have died on the street. Ain't no passer-by or doctor, going to help em. We try to take care of our Own since ya'll don't really care if there's one less of us..." Jack stopped to catch his breath, telling his story had visibly shaken the poor guy. Cameras surveyed the public. Some were watching with a stoic expression, yet most had a look combined of guilt and sorrow. One gentle looking elderly lady was already using the provided tissues.

Shaking her head Renne stood and walked toward her audience. "This is, sadly a common occurrence, everybody no matter in what country you live, does the same. We all tend to ignore those living on the street, ignoring them, avoiding any eye contact." She re-created a similar situation by turning away from the camera that followed her movement. "Ask yourself this, why do we as a country help at every international crisis? Why do we as its people donate money to large charities? “Returning to her seat the hostess turned back to face the crowd. “Why do this, if we continue to ignore dire local problems. Everybody deserves to have a roof above their heads, and basic healthcare. Especially those that society tends to forget." After providing a moment for Jack to take a breather, and to captivate her listeners, Renne, sat down again.  


Bruce couldn't help but share the same kind of grin as Bob and Clint. "Oh this is good."

"What is good?" Asked Natasha  giving him a stern judging look." I expected better of you Dr. Banner."

Bruce shifted his feet, the Black Widow's cold stare still managed to make him feel uncomfortable. That and the way she always managed to quietly sneak up on him. "Wait...just. Just watch this you'll understand."

"I wish we had popcorn." Noted Hawkeye giving a cheesy wink.

Natasha peered at the screen for a few seconds before relaxing her stance. “You’re right, this is going to be good."

"My friends, some of em just started disappearing you know? And not in any normal way, none of em found luck elsewhere. Mad Cecil went to the cops but of course nobody believed her. And she ain't mad, not really, it's just a name. Like Locke was your Highness. “Jack looked at his shoes, unable to face the audience in the room. The homeless man's face was as pale as the moon, upset about what he, and others, went through. “A few days layer i woke up, still a bit drunk but not too much. Heard this freaky sound, like an animal snuffin around or something. Thought t'was just a dog but... .but."

"It...it."Stuttered Jack in a cracked voice. "T'was this ugly thing, saw it when i got out to help Daniels when i.heard em screaming something.. One ofthese...these things must avehit me, cause it went all black." The poor man broke out in pained choked sobs. Reliving the story provided to be too much of an emotional experience.  


Fury's voice boomed through the whole room. "WHAT!" Quickly making his way to where everyone was focussed at a screen. His brisk walk got him there with a few angered steps.  "What, do you think is going on here. Is this some _joke_ to you all? Because i am _no_ t laughing."

"Well,sir." Deadpanned Clint. "This is a very serious matter. I adviseyou to pay attention."

Bruce and Natasha gave a soft amusedchuckle, as they cleared the way for Director Fury. The two of them had a fairly good idea of what was going to happen, and wanted to watch from a safe distance. Lest fury blow –up in their faces.

As if on cue a camera zoomed in on the Renne again who waved goodbye to her first guest. Jack had left the scene to take a well-deserved time-out, however the show wasn’t over yet. She turned her head, tucking a stray hair behind her ear and said. “We’llreturn after the break, whit our next guest Tony Stark to find out who this mysterious hero is."

Fury's last nerve snapped. "STARK!"  
  
  


* * *

  


Tony felt giddy, like a little kid who knew he was going to get candy. A triple joy awaited him today. first Loki would arrive on the rooftop, right now he was mentally counting down the seconds. Number two was the newly created armor he build for Loki. Tony hadn’t even seen it yet, not had sufficient time to calibrate the perfect settings. Normally when he was in the last weeks of building, he used a more hands on approachto the finishing touch. Impatient as he was, Tony could not wait to get his hands on it. Yet first he had to get intimately re-acquainted with his crazy god again. Cast be damned! Where there is a will, and sufficient wriggling around. There is a way.

Thirdly they both got to majorly piss off Fury. "Jarvis send a text to Bruce, ask him to take a pic of Fury's face. He'll recognise the right moment when it's there." Tony's imagination started to conjure all the funny possibilities, when a familiarnoise snapped him back to the present.

Several feet in front of him, Loki, had begun his descent. Jarvis guided the armor slowly down, minimising any instability caused by its inexperienced user. Tony genuinely looked forward to teaching and explaining all its functions in detail.Already he saw a few areas that could be further improved to suit the ex-god’s needs.Tony stepped forward the minute Loki's feet touched the ground and the thrusters shut down. With arms wide open and a big smile on his face he greeted his lover. "Your Highness, you've returned!"

The armors facial protection slid open, revealing a face Tony sorely missed. Even with a piece of river muck in his hair, unkempt scruffy beginnings of a beard and bags under his eyes. Tony still found Loki utterly captivating. He stepped closer, invading the other man's personal space. "You know, if we trim the beard a bit. This new hobo chic look could suit you."

Instead of an insult or  scornful greeting, Loki, just observed him profoundly. Blue eyes studied him from top to bottom, before settling on his injured leg. This uncomfortable silence was unexpected, likewise with the fire burning behind Loki's gaze. Tony rambled on intent on breaking the silence. "Jesus you smell, you'd really profit from a show..."

Suddenly soft, chapped lips covered his own with a before unknown gentleness. Tony felt rough stubble scrape his cheek as Loki applied more pressure behind their dry kiss. All too soon those cold lips left his, making him long for more.

Obeying a sudden impulse, Tony, placed his hands behind Loki’s head and drew him back into a passionate yet chaste kiss. Like a starved sailor, he kept on smothering his mad man with small intense kisses all over his face. As much as Tony wanted to carry on and ravage the others mouth and body, he couldn't. Time was already running short. Reluctantly he drew away from the object of his desire.

Loki chuckled softly and placed his forehead against Tony's. "I thought my vile odour was inexcusable, yet you merit me with a kiss."

"Yeah." Breathed the engineer. "It's the epitome of bad breath, but I’ve tasted worse. Staying on the subject of smell, you have a few minutes to freshen up real fast."

Loki quirked a brow. "I assume this has to do with your ploy. And the reason we are standing on top of a TV-studio.” During his way here, Loki, had made sure to be on the look-out for recognisable landmarks. A Large, flashy billboard gave his location away, yet whatever he had expected it wasn’t this. Most of the TV shows this company produced where documentaries, human interest stories, talk shows and a few popular series.  
  
Tony stepped back and touched his earpiece.”Jarv could you shrink back the Ice Queen?”  
  
Before Loki could questions Anthony’s sentence the armor around him slowly crawled to life. Slowly the fragments surrounding him coiled back down, releasing him from their hold. When the mask lifted he could just see the metallic gleam of color settle itself in a more compact, transportable shape. Bending down to touch it with his bare hands, wondering how it would feel against his skin. Loki’s thought came back to what the engineer had said.  
  
Eyes narrowed itself in vicious slits, and Loki raised himself back to his full height.” Ice Queen ?You gave it the name Ice Queen.” He had worn this beautiful structure and Anthony had given it such a despicable childish name. No, even worse, the other man had known and given it this name on purpose. Loki took a menacing step forward just as Tony started to back down. “How dare you soil such a graceful work.”  
  
Tony cleared his throat. “In my defence is seemed very appropriate at the time. Plus I was pumped full of various drugs.” Loki only appeared to increase his murderous intent, a dark shadow almost looming over him. “Oh, come on! You have to admit it’s funny!” The only reply that he got was an agitated huff. “When you get back home I’m forcing you to watch Frozen, or the Chronicles of Narnia. There are plenty of films with ice queens in them and all of them have similarities with you.”  
  
“I shall not suffer those dreadful films you mentioned, but I shall forgive you.” Said Loki, with a cruel knowing smile. Forgive but not forget. There would be an occasion soon enough presenting him with the perfect opportunity for revenge. “If, and only if you let me choose a worthy name.”  
  
Rolling his eyes at Loki’s dramatics Tony answered him. “I was going to let you pick a new name anyway.” _No, I wasn’t_. Tony, hard headed as he was, had full intent on using the new nickname on various inappropriate moments. Preferably when the team was there, or Pepper, or during certain occasions in the bedroom. Because damn, Loki was hot when angry. Already he could feel the blood rushing south. “ How does Mischief maker sound?”  
  
“Excuse me sirs?” Called a mousy voice behind them. ” I… euhm. Mr stark they need you in the studio. Mr Ladislav would you be so kind to follow me, there is a change of clothing waiting for you.”

Turning around loki way downstairs, following the petite brunette girl who did an internship here. Anthony had taken an elevator elsewhere, urged on by a frantic young man who continuously checked for time. Loki was positive he heard muffled applause in the distance accompanied by familiar rock music. Slowly Stark's plan started to make sense, and Loki couldn't wipe out the grin off his face if his life depended on it. Even with the earlier insult, he couldn’t do anything but appreciate the fact that Anthony had found a rather creative way to keep him out of harms way.

"Tell me miss Laetitia, when do i go on?" Loki asked kindly but with a false smile on his face.  Keeping up appearances was important right now. After all if he was right there was a part to be played.

Leatitia opened one of the many nondescript grey doors in the hall before flipping a few pags in her schedule. "Mr Stark just went on, that gives us about..." Holding the door open left her with one free hand to unlock her phone and check the time. " fourteen minutes until you go on Sir Ladislav.  I've already prepared everything you need, including something to drink and eat. However I’m afraid i have to ask you to make haste. Again I’m sorry sir, we're just really short on time. This morning's show had so many unexpected changes however I’m..."

Loki cut her off before she gave him a long, frustrated speech about the inner working of the company. "Thank you for your services Laetitia. Now as you've made clear i need to use my time productively." With a soft click the door closed between him and his unneeded Temporary personal assistant.

Grateful to have a moment of silence and peace, Loki, surveyed the room. It was a small all-purpose chamber, including toilet, washing basin and a small platter of assorted food and beverages. A clean dark blue suit was prepared for him, clearly an upgrade from his current state of dress. As promised everything Loki needed to freshen-up real fast.

Picking up a fresh washcloth and shaving cream he went to work. A sharp razor provided a swift shave of his face. aggravated that he could not spend more time , Loki, rinsed his face and looked in the mirror. Already he looked less like a drowned cat and more like a human being. He was even becoming used to the familiar blond stranger starring back at him.

Foregoing to brush his teeth in favour of some food Loki reached for one of the sandwiches. After days of tasteless gruel that was undoubtly pumped full of vitamins, antibiotics and other supplements to him _healthy_. Loki was keen for a tad more wholesome sustenance. Unceremoniously he broke off half and stuffed it in his mouth. His stomach was grateful for it, even if it didn't have the desired quality.  
  
While chewing his food he swiftly got undressed, throwing the shirt and slacks he was wearing in a near plastic garbage can. The fabric of the suit felt crisp and clean against his skin, yet he would have loved the tie for a good long shower. Closing his tie he reached for a bottle of water, however before he could adequately quench his thirst someone knocked on the door.  
  
"Sir we need to go now. Sorry but it looks like Mr Stark is ending earlier than expected." Leatitia open the door for him appearing sincerely apologetic. "Bring the bottle with you, you'll have a few seconds if you're lucky."

Loki managed to down half the bottle in the elevator. Loud noise and bright lights hit his eyes when the elevator doors opened. It took a while for his eyesight to adjust to the change, but he heard the voices loud and clear.  
  
“And now we welcome our next guest. A homeless man turned hero, all to save the friends that helped him in a time of great need.”  
  
Loki stepped forward, entering Anthony's war zone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those that are wondering when there is going to be sex.   
> Since yes i know you guys are impatient, as am i trust me:p  
> It shall be soon, and it shall be when the time is right for them, can't have them humping every chapter.
> 
> bu yeah soon.


	39. Chapter 39

Tony had to admit it, Loki had the stage presence of a great actor. Soft smiles intermixed with serious tight lips as the ex-god weaved his tale, using expression to his advantage. Granted, the story was incomplete, negative, complex details where omitted in favour of a short but powerful summary.

Both Tony and the audience where utterly captivated, albeit for different reasons.

Their audience was captivated by an emotional tale of struggle and strife. A grim modern fairytale about a flawed, angry man finding hope amidst the dirt of New York. They clung to Loki's honeyed words, desperate for more.

Tony on the other hand was admiring Loki's incredible skill as a storyteller. The essence was nothing but pure truth, however it lacked small yet important details. Nothing gave away he used to be a mad destroyer keen on ruling the Earth.. no, this Loki could pass a lie-detector test with grace and simultaneously charm somebody's pants off.

Loki was a great actor, persuasive, manipulating, intelligent and charming. His face only showing the emotions Loki desired.

Yet all this time the god of lied had yet to utter one.

Loki didn't even truly cover his personality during the final interview.

The show was nearing its end, forcing Renne to ask her final question. " So tell us Locke, are you planning on helping them further? "

" That is what i intend to do, yes." Loki said smiling brilliantly.

In the eyes of audience and host it was the self-assured smile of a man with good read it differently, especially when Loki caught him starring, and squinted in Tony's direction sending a clear signal. _I will raise hell and have my vengeance for your words._

Loki shifted in his seat, facing the crowd for a final statement. " While hospitalized i even took the opportunity to start learning another language. The CEO of Stark's industries,took note of my intelligence and offered me a job."

_More like she took note of your relentless stubbornness and ability to annoy me to death._ Yes, Loki had more wits then the average Joe, no denying that. Yet Tony knew Pepper found Loki's unparalleled ability to ignore whatever "ridiculous" thing the engineer wanted, his biggest asset. She had hired the man on pure spite. Thankfully it had workout out perfectly, even if the road to get there was bumpy.

"During my time in their employment I have learned a great deal more about economy, management and other useful skills, proving i was a valuable employee. Working closely with Stark was also a personal eye opener.. The rest, as they say, is history." Loki nodded at Jack, who was looking at him with hope and awe. Expressions the ex-god wasn't used to receiving. Even if his first desire had been to undermine Tony, he had to acknowledge it felt...nice. " I know that among those that society has rejected, are those with a likewise eagerness to learn. Yet our current society doesn't really allow this. Education, especially at a later time in your life, is ridiculously expensive. Even more so when you are already without basic necessities. So with the help of Stark's industries. And Tony Stark..."

_Ah great, I'm helping..._

Tony might be a public figure, appearing on TV, news papers and juicy tabloids with alarming regularity. He actually hated it. Often Pepper had to force him or threaten him to get "involved" with whatever charity pet-project was going on. Yet he had always known about it beforehand, even if Jarvis had to remind him constantly when there was a function to attend. Loki had conveniently circumvented any official channels by publicly announcing Tony's fucking personal involvement.

That little shit.

Renne stood in the audience, closing this mornings successful show. "This concludes today's show! It was great to have you with us gentlemen, i hope to hear more of this project in the upcoming days."

Loki stood, back straight and carrying himself with regal poise. " It was an honour Renne."

Tony got up slowly, hindered by the stiff cast around his leg. He gave Rene a strong handshake." What he said" Noted Tony pointing at Loki..

Viewing ratings were through the roof, their scoop had assured that. People would be talking about this for days to come.

For the first time in his life Loki was safe, because the public loved him.

Tony turned and gave the audience a signature greeting. "Time to go people! Come along **Icequeen** , we've got a lot of work ahead of us." As he walked into the backstage with a big grin, Tony, swore he could feel Loki fuming with quit, cold rage behind him.

Life was great, if not for the smile Loki gave him during the ride back. It was... Severely disconcerting.

Loki felt his muscles relax instantly when scalding hot water rained down on him. Tension washed away the longer he stood under the shower. Muck, grime and hair he hadn't been able to clean earlier started to clog the drain. Reluctantly he bend down to clean it, lest the bathroom turn into a swimming pool. He could do without a fall on slippery wet tiles lest he get injured again.

Downstairs in the common room Anthony was still in a heated discussion with Rogers about pissing Fury off. Even if the team agreed that it was a brilliantly funny way to do so. God the few photo's Banner managed to take, though off a bad quality would provide entertainment for months.

Barton had agreed to give him a blank slate for now, there was no apology for the shot. Loki hadn't expected one either, his wounds was more or less healed anyway. Not that he had forgiven Barton, the right time for a trick or two was still to come. The Black Widow had stayed behind on the hellicarrier, retrieving any info fury might have held back from them.  
Rogers had merrily welcomed him back, showing unexpected forgiveness. Going so far as giving Loki a friendly pat on the shoulder for his "admirable" attitude so far, telling him to keep-up the good work. It was strange to see a former enemy show so much forgiveness.

Thor had wanted to crush him in a bear hug, yet had wisely ,after considering what his Lady Jane told him, decided against it. Loki had to admit he liked the small brunette, it wasn't easy to make Thor do your bidding. She however did this with a certain flair that was highly amusing to watch. So far one of the most tolerable women Thor had "dated" yet.

Every crevice, down to the most intimate of places got scrubbed his skin so thoroughly it turned red from the amount of attention it got. Satisfied that his body had been well taken care of, Loki, rinsed his hair. The conditioner he'd used was of an expansive brand that promised straighter hair and more manageable curls. A midgardian product of vanity that Loki could not miss even if the end result left much to be desired. And afters days of unkempt frizzy hair that felt greasy to touch, it was a welcome luxury.

Soap suds slid down his body as his hand ran through his blond hair towards his neck. Although the heat worked wonders, there was still a sore spot in his neck. Firmly he placed his fingers in the curve behind his head kneading the stiff muscle beneath. Loki's eyes narrowed from pleasure as days of stress ebbed away. A soft moan escaped his lips when he applied a bit more pressure, it was slightly painful, any good massage was, but he'd feel so much better afterwards.

Even with the sound of running water echoing in the large bathroom, Loki, could hear Anthony shuffle in the doorway. His lover made no noise, instead he leaned against the wall in order to enjoy the show.

Loki suppressed a wicked smile, and pretended to have no knowledge of the engineers presence. Dear Anthony, so predictable in his habits.

Craning his head to the side, exposing his long pale neck, Loki's left hand joined in. Using both hands he kneaded along his spine until he reached his shoulder blades. A position that allowed him to stretch his body, arch his back, and assume a rather alluring pose. Graceful and sexual, a silhouette painters and photographers would die to capture.

Bending his right arm in a straight position, Loki, softly ran his free hand over it in circular motions. One hand massaged the other, giving fingers a firm squeeze and gentle pull. Twisting his body, he heard and felt the loud pop of something snapping back into place. It gave him the perfect opportunity to place place his forehead against the tiles. Enjoying the duality of its cold surface and the heated water running over his back, Loki sighed and plotted his next move.

Part one of his idea had worked, Anthony was fixated on him and him alone. Fully under the impression he was interrupting a private moment, without being noticed. Fool.

Loki's right hand slid down his torso in a tormenting slow pace, while he used the other on the wall as support. He let his lips part ever so slightly le to let out a soft "hmmmm." He caressed his inner thigh with gentle fingers, avoiding the most sensitive parts. Loki bit his lip as he half squeezed half massaged there, causing a pleasurable shiver throughout his body. It had always been a rather sensitive part of him, if manipulated correctly...

"Ahh." Gasped Loki while his cock twitched in interest, angry that it was being neglected. Stroking upwards he fondly cupped his balls, and pressed against his perineum with his index finger. Eyes closed themselves from pure pleasure as Loki let out a loud filthy moan. Cock going from half-hard to velvet steel in less then a millisecond. He reached for the base of his dick and squeezed, mentally forbidding it to show to much enthusiasm...for now. He was nowhere near being ready to finish. No, Loki wanted to take his time, until both himself and Anthony where on the very edge of coming.

Tony had taken root in the middle of the bathroom. A ridiculous dump-struck look on his face, nobody would think he was a genius with his mouth hanging open in a dumb gaze. A fly could have easily flown in and out without Tony being any wiser. Worse was the fact he felt himself drool, his brain decided to happily let it be in favour of re-directing the blood flow elsewhere.

What came out as a nearly silent "euhhh." was actually Tony's attempt to ask if Loki needed a hand with that. Yet from the way the other man gripped his own shaft and stroked it slowly, Tony, wasn't needed at all. Greedy eyes took in the pale colour of Loki's naked skin flushed red from arousal .Loki was beautiful, strong and deviously tempting. Tony's cock filled out, making his tailored pants uncomfortably tight.

So far Loki appeared unaware of him, focussing only on his own satisfaction. Tony watched in rapture as his ex-god slid down, kneeling on the floor as one hand stroked his cock tortuously slow while the other reached between his legs and... _Oh my fucking god._

Tony's brain lost the last essence of intelligence, replacing every thought with the urge to fuck this delicious man into oblivion. Palming his dick through his pants, Tony, let out a broken moan.

He had a perfect view of Loki's perfect body bending forward. Knees spread apart just enough to present firm, round butt cheeks. Loki's slick index finger was pumping in and out his own hole. If Tony's mind had been function he'd realise it was already prepared for this occasion. He would have been more suspicious or at least carefull knowing this.

Tony's hips jerked forward instinctively, his cock longing to be burried in that tight velvet orifice. He started stroking himself over his pants in the same agrivating pace, frustrated that the rest of his body still appeared to be frozen in time. Surely Loki would notice him soon, and invite him in. Perhaps his ex-god would stay kneeled, wrapping his lovely lips around Tony's rock hard erection while fucking himself on his own fingers.

As is on cue Loki added another finger, curling them in order to find his prostrate. Tony had never heard Loki make such incredible tempting sounds, nor had he seen such a display of erotica. And he'd seen much in his life. He didn't know how much longer he could watch Loki fingering himself before coming into is own pants like a fifteen year old.

Loki stopped stroking himself and placed his hand back on the tilled wall, giving him some extra grip as he pushed in a third wet finger ( Tony knew keeping lube in the bathroom would pay off eventually). The other man was trembling with desire, fully focused on what might have been the best shower masturbation session ever. Loki was hurried either, his thrusts in and out where still ever so slow. But they where deep and hit the right spot, and the trickster was a very vocal man...

In a moment of clarity, Tony, managed to free his cock from it's confinement. "Fuck" He could swear it grew even thicker when it jutted out, the tip already wet with pre-come.

Loki looked at him now, eyes nearly black from pure want "Anthony!" He kept up his rhythmic thrusts, even picking up a bit of speed. Tony thought he'd managed to discover a voyeuristic streak, as Loki seemed to be even more pleased to see him watching. " Please, Anthony tell me what you want!"

The please should have been a dead give-away.

To bad his cock was in charge though.

"Fuck Loki, i want to fuck you so hard now. See your pale body beneath me writing in pleasure." Tony was nearly humping the air, saying it out loud nearly made him feel it. "I want to watch myself slide in and out of you so bad baby."

"Yessss" Loki moaned loudly adding more force in his own thrusts, noticeably reaching the point of orgasm "You'd fuck me so hard wouldn't you?ohhhhh."

Tony loved dirty talk, right now Loki was hitting all of his good buttons. " Yes, fuck yourself. Come for me Loki."

Loki threw his head backwards and placed his other hand back on his member. Jerking himself off in the same furious pace as his fingers did. "Anthonyyyy." His cry was loud, broken and devastatingly arousing. Semen his the walls, coating them white for a second before it vanished down the drain. Loki visibly shaken from such an intense orgasm cached his breath, watching Tony from lidded eyes.

With a twist the waters raining down ended and Loki slid out of the shower. He looked well-fucked out, a look, Tony promised himself, he'd see more often. A wet hand slid around Tony's aching cock. " how do you want me?"

_This is to good to be true._

" On your knees."

Loki sank back onto his knees, doing as Tony bided and looked up. "And?" Came the sly question.

_Fuck, yes!_

"I want that pretty mouth of yours sucking me off."

Loki smirked and blew a puff of cold air over Tony's dick. "Yes you's want that wouldn't you?"

Really, really cold air.

The eyes starring at him where crimson pools, a cerulean blue Loki rose to his feet shaking of a few frozen ice-chips. The bastard didn't even need a towel. Any enthusiasm his cock might have held withdrew immediately as the cold made it crawl back into hiding.

"To bad I'm an **Icequeen.** " Noted Loki strutting away as if he hadn't fucked the living daylights out of himself. Leaving Tony with quite posibly the first real case of blue balls in history.

_Well, fuck._ It was to good to be true.


End file.
